Police have arrested Chief Executive Officer for Zomba City Council, Charles Thombozi, over abuse of Covid-19 funds.
Thombozi is among seven government officials arrested today on suspicion that they took part in the abuse of Covid-19 funds.
The arrested government officials are from Zomba City Council, Mangochi Municipal Council and Mchinji District Council.
Malawi Police spokesperson James Kadadzera said the suspects will be answering charges of fraudulent false accounting among other charges.
He added that police detectives are still on the ground and more arrests will follow.
Meanwhile, some of the 46 suspects have started appearing in court.
In Blantyre, eight officials from the Immigration Department were taken before Senior Resident Magistrate Court to be informed of their charges.
Defence lawyers asked for unconditional bail for the suspects but Senior Resident Magistrate, Jean Kayira, said she will make her ruling next Tuesday.
In Lilongwe, businessperson Martin Mainja, Administration Officer in the Office of the President and Cabinet Rashid Mtelera and another government officials Dominic Chimaliro also appeared before court.
Chimaliro and Mtelera are accused of flouting procedures and abusing their office to award Mainja’s company a K97 million contract to fumigate Government buildings and Kamuzu Palace.
The works would have cost K1.5 million had they been conducted by the Lilongwe District Health Office.
