|
|
|
|
| National |
| ACB to speed up maize scam probe |
|
by
Pilirani Semu-Banda, 29 May 2002
|
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said yesterday it has set up a “Maize Task Force” to speed up investigations into allegations that some top officials bought, at very low prices, thousands of tonnes of maize from Strategic Grain Reserves (SGR), leading to the current grain shortage in the country.
ACB deputy director Alexius Nampota said in a written response to a questionnaire that the ACB has allocated a “reasonable number of officers” into the task force who will ensure that investigations are completed professionally and with minimum delay.
“This has been done because the bureau regards the issue of maize as serious and with far reaching repercussions on ordinary Malawians,” said Nampota.
He said the ACB was expecting that “the results of the investigations will come to light within the next 30 days and thereafter, courses of action will have to be determined”.
Nampota said the Bureau has noted that more information keeps on coming on the matter “in a manner not usually anticipated”.
He, however, refused to say what sort of information the bureau has come across neither did he divulge the names of the people involved in the scam, saying it will be unethical to do so.
Nampota said in terms of its statutory mandate, the ACB will at the end of the matter, make appropriate recommendations to government to avoid a similar occurrences in future.
He, however, said the ACB will not initiate any action against any person until all the investigations are over to avoid victimising “innocent Malawians” on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations.
“This, the Bureau believes, is the essence of the Rule of Law,” said Nampota.
Reports indicate that up to 120,000 metric tonnes of maize from the SGRs was looted by top people in the country.
The National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) accused Admarc of selling the maize from the SGRs but Admarc dismissed the claims and accused NFRA of exporting the maize to Kenya.
President Bakili Muluzi declared the country a state of disaster following the maize shortage after reports that some people had died of hunger. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
