Donors warn against interference in police scandal probe

Donors have said the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) should be allowed to investigate the Malawi Police fraud without interference.

The European Union (EU) and the United States (US) ambassadors in Malawi have said it is important for the ACB to probe the scandal since fighting corruption is essential for Malawi.

A leaked report by the ACB revealed that businessman Zameer Karim was fraudulently awarded a K2.3 billion Malawi Police contract which he used to steal K466 million from government.

He then sent K145 million to a Democratic Progressive Party account whose sole signatory is President Peter Mutharika.

EU Ambassador Marchel Gerrmann said they expect the ACB to continue investigating the scandal and other cases without interference.

“Fighting corruption successfully is essential for Malawi to reach its development goals, improve public service delivery and attract investment,” he told the local media.

On her part, US Ambassador Virginia Palmer called for the truth on the matter saying freedom from corruption is essential for Malawi to achieve its development goals.

In the report, the ACB said Mutharika should not be prosecuted because he is protected by Section 91(2) of the constitution of the Republic of Malawi.

The bureau however said Karim and Police Director of Finance Innocent Bottoman should be prosecuted for stealing K466 million, forging and uttering false documents to CDH and for acquiring K1.4 billion while knowing that the money was proceeds of a crime.