Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director general Martha Chizuma says the bureau expects to complete its investigations into the fertilizer procurement scandal in January year.
Chizuma said this when she appeared before the Joint Parliamentary which is investigating the fertilizer procurement deal which saw Malawi Government being duped out of K750 million which was paid to United Kingdom company Barkaat Foods Limited.
The ACB has a mandate to vet high value procurement worth at a minimum of K1.5 billion for works and K750 million for goods or services. The bureau also vets single sourcing contracts.
Chizuma said the ACB has vetted several procurement deals under Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) but did not vet the K30 billion contract which Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) awarded to Barkaat Foods Limited because the contract was not submitted to the bureau for vetting.
According to Chizuma, the bureau has received complaints on the Barkaat Foods contract and another contract which was awarded to Paramount Holdings. She said the bureau has set up two teams to investigate the issues.
“It is difficult to put a deadline to investigations but for us as a bureau we are looking to the end of January to complete the AIP investigation,” said Chizuma.
Member of Parliament for Chikwawa North Owen Chomanika wondered why the ACB is investigating the K750 million payment saying what happened is already an anomaly and those responsible need to be taken to task.
In her response, Chizuma said they are looking at several aspects of the procurement deal in order to go to the root of the issue. She, however, admitted that it is illegal to bypass the bureau in a single sourcing contract.
Chizuma during the inquiry also defended the bureau’s record in completing cases saying the bureau has managed to beat its targets in terms of investigating cases and is trying is best in in terms of prosecuting cases.
“Convictions and prosecutions are not in the control of the bureau only since there are other stakeholders such as the courts,” said Chizuma.
