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Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister Uladi Mussa Monday said lack of funds is the reason for little progress on the search for former Admarc deputy general manager Peter Mulamba who went missing early this month.
Mulamba, who was first reported to be a key state witnesses in a commission of inquiry report on the strategic grain reserves but later established to be a suspect in the scam, is said to be in the United Kingdom.
Mussa, speaking at Kamuzu International Airport on arrival from a third session of the Malawi/Zambia joint permanent commission on defence and security in Zambia, said he is yet to meet with officials from police and intelligence bureau to find out the progress on Mulamba’s search.
“Of course there are speculations that Mulamba is in the UK, but as government, we cannot report on rumours. I am yet to be briefed by my officials to see the probability of sending someone to the UK, but our major problem has been funding,” said Mussa.
Mussa further explained that checkups at Zambia and Zimbabwe airports between 4 and 10 September do not show any one in the name of Mulamba having used the facilities to fly to UK.
“May be he used a passport with names of somebody else, but if it’s established that he did so, then that is another crime on its own. Nonetheless, we shall use whatever means to make sure that we establish his whereabouts,” he added.
Commenting on the trip, Mussa said the two countries agreed to work hand in hand in addressing issues of cross-border crimes such as armed robbery, motor vehicle theft, smuggling of firearms, illicit drug trafficking, illegal migration and settlement.
“The commission noted with appreciation the work done to demarcate 200km of the physical boundary between Malawi and Zambia and urged both countries to provide funds to facilitate the resumption of the joint border survey exercise so that the remaining stretch of 60km is also demarcated,” he said.
Mussa then assured that K80 million would be set aside for the demarcation of the boundary.
He also said they agreed that thieves apprehended in the two countries should be sent to their respective countries for trial and that stolen vehicles should be surrendered back to their original destinations.
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