Legislator Ben Phiri, who is on bail on allegation of corruption, has supported efforts to amend the Corrupt Practices Act in order to enhance the independence of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
This morning in Parliament, Member of Parliament for Likoma Island Ashems Songwe moved the motion to allow the tabling of the bill.
Ben Phiri, who is on bail on allegations that he pocketed K262 million from the Ministry of Gender for services that he allegedly did not render, supported the motion.
Phiri who is Member of Parliament for Thyolo Central said the bill should be tabled and those against such a bill are against corruption.
“We have suffered, we have been called corrupt and we are tired of that. The real corruptors are just sitting down and nothing is happening to them,” he said.
The bill to be tabled is proposing that Section 10 (1) (f) and Section 42 of the Corrupt Practices Act be deleted.
Section 42 makes it a requirement for ACB to obtain consent from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) before instituting prosecution of cases while Section 10 (1) (f) says the ACB may prosecute any of the cases under the act but such prosecution is under the direction of the DPP.
Peter Dimba, MP for Lilongwe South, who is also Chairperson of the Legal Affairs Committee of the House, also supported the bill saying the ACB was being denied consent to prosecute some cases.
“The laws give the ACB the powers to prosecute corruption cases with one hand, with the other hand it withdraws those powers by empowering the DPP to withhold consent.
“Today we can decide, Madam Speaker, whether to repeal the CPA and disband ACB – because if we say we’re fighting corruption using the ACB, then we’re lying to ourselves, Madam Speaker.
“Today we can decide: Let there be no ACB in Malawi. Let everyone steal the way they want. Let everyone loot this country the way they want. Let foreigners come into this country, loot our resources, go to UK and buy properties the way they want. And let our people continue to suffer. Let our people continue to wallow in poverty because of corruption,” he said.
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