Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Shadreck Namalomba, who is also Member of Parliament for Mangochi South West, has asked government to provide security to officers from the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Namalomba said this in Parliament on Friday 11 February, 2022 when he stood on point of order to comment on the death of Malawi Revenue Authority Manager for Dedza border, Alinafe Bonongwe, who was murdered.
Namalomba said government should look on the matter seriously as it is becoming very risky and dangerous for law enforcement officers like Judges, Anti-Corruption Bureau officers as well as MRA officers who are working in different parts of country including borders.
“We would like government to find ways of protecting such officers, they need not to choose between doing what is supposed to be done and the other side to say I just have to leave this because am afraid I and my family are at risk of losing our lives. Therefore, I propose maybe we need to consider training these officers in police or military for self-defense or even provide them with firearms.
“Malawi police should also sign their officers to MRA officers and other law enforcement officers to provide security for them. So I was appealing to the government to provide security to MRA officers at the expense of Malawi government,” explained Namalomba.
Namalomba also asked the government to speed up investigation into the death of the late Bonongwe so that the truth about the death of late Bonongwe should prevail.
“Often times and before this we have had similar issues where people have been killed but nothing has been concluded, the case of ISSA Njaunju we don’t know what happened so we don’t want a repeat of the same over this death, the death of Alinafe Bonongwe is a big threat to law enforcement officers such as Judges, police officers, ACB who may be the next victim if nothing is done.
“So the police must investigate this issue and find all the culprits. We are glad that the Minister of Homeland security has assured people of Malawi, people of Mangochi South west to say they are currently investigating the matter, five people have been arrested and more will follow and she undertook to make sure that they speed up the case”, said Namalomba.
