The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Francesca Masamba for demanding K2 million from a candidate for the position of Director of the Office of the Directorate of Public Officers Declarations (ODPOD).
Masamba, who is Member of Parliament for Mangochi East and is also a member of the Public Appointments Committee of Parliament, has been arrested today.
According to a statement from the bureau, on 24th August, 2020, the bureau received an allegation that Masamba corruptly solicited an advantage from one of the candidates who was to be interviewed by the Public Appointments Committee for the position of Director of the Office of the Directorate of Public Officers Declarations.
She demanded the money in order to influence the decision of the Committee of the National Assembly in favour of the said candidate.
“The ACB investigations established that Hon. Francesca Masamba solicited sums of money ranging from MK1,000,000.00 to MK2,000,000.00 in order to influence the decision of the Committee,” reads part of the statement from the bureau’s spokesperson Egrita Ndala.
Masamba will likely to be charged with corrupt use of official powers and misuse of public office contrary to Section 25 (1) and 25 B (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act respectively.
According to reports, Masamba demanded money from Mr Michael Chiusiwa who was a candidate but Chiusiwa reported the matter to the parliamentary committee.
The committee’s chairperson Joyce Chitsulo took the issue to the Office of the Speaker of Parliament and the matter was then reported to the ACB.
