The Anti- Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested businessperson Chrispin Chingola for conspiring with Gerald Viola over a K3.3 billion contract from which Viola demanded 10 percent of the money.
According to a statement from the bureau, it received an allegation in April that Viola, while working as Deputy Chief Executive Officer for National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), single handedly awarded a contract to a Lilongwe based company called Missie’s Trading owned by Chingola to supply 10,000 metric tonnes of maize worth MK3.3 billion without following procurement procedures.
It is further alleged that later on, Viola demanded 10% of the total contract sum translating to MK330,000,000.00.
The ACB investigations established that Chrispin Chingola conspired with Viola to commit offences under the Corrupt Practices Act, Public Finance Management Act, Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act and the Penal Code.
The bureau arrested Chingola on Tuesday and he is likely to be charged with influencing a public officer to misuse a public office contrary to Section 25 B (2) of the Corrupt Practices Act and forgery contrary to Section 356 of the Penal Code.
Chingola will be taken to court after the ACB has interviewed him.
Viola was arrested on October 2 and was granted bail three days later.
