The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested former Inspector General of Malawi Police George Kainja over corruption allegations.
The bureau has also arrested Deputy Commissioner of Police Mwabi Kaluba.
The two have been arrested in Lilongwe and Mzuzu respectively and are being cautioned by the bureau.
A statement from the ACB says Kainja, on instructions from businessperson Zuneth Sattar, inititated requisition of the procurement of 350,000 food ration packs worth US$7,875,000 (about K8 billion).
The contract was awarded to Sattar’s company Xaviar Limited and in return Kainja allegedly got a vehicle and US$8,000 (about K8 million).
On his part, Kaluba is alleged to have received US$20,000 (about K20 million) from Sattar for providing assistance in the procurement contract.
Kaluba will be charged with one count while Kainja will be charged with two counts of soliciting advantage in relation to contracts.
The arrest comes days after President Lazarus Chakwer fired Kainja as police chief due to allegations that he is one of 84 people suspected to have received bribes from businessperson Zunneth Sattar.
According to president Chakwera, a report he received from the ACB indicates that Kainja is one of 13 people that the Bureau says have been extensively investigated to the point of concluding that they conducted themselves corruptly in dealing with the businessman.
“The Bureau’s report states that it has recordings of telephone conversations between the Inspector General and Mr. Sattar, allegedly discussing procurement deals and kickbacks. The description of how the IG seems compromised is clear in the report, and so I have decided to remove him from office on that basis.” Chakwera said
ACB also found that in the four years between 2017 and 2021, the Malawi Police Service and the Malawi Defence Force awarded 16 contracts worth over 150 million US dollars to five companies belonging to Sattar.
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