Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) Limited says it has fired nine senior officers following findings of a National Audit Office (NAO) audit that revealed financial fraud and misprocurement.
Admarc chief executive officer (CEO) Ben Botolo in an interview yesterday said some of the dismissed officials were suspended earlier this year.
The officials listed are former CEO Dan Makata, director of finance Richard Kwatiwani, director of corporate affairs Ethel Zilirakhasu and director of operations Fodreck Nyongani.
procurement. | Nation
Others are procurement manager Grace Chatepa, administration manager Grace Khomba, director of legal services Rodgers Mpombeza, financial accountant Owen Gama and Blessings Kachala.
Botolo said the concerned staff were fired at the end of June with some having their contracts ending in July, others in August and October 2026.
He said: “The nine were technically dismissed for not following the company’s rules. They flouted financial and procurement rules.
“For instance, they could hire 700 hectares of land only to cultivate 50 hectares but money was paid. The matter is now in the hands of law enforcement agencies.”
But Makata yesterday denied being fired, stating that his contract ended in June this year.
“My contract ended on June 30 2026 and I did not get any letter that I have been fired,” he said.
Put to him that some of those said to have been fired denied any knowledge, Admarc board chairperson Gray Nyandule Phiri insisted that the nine appeared before a disciplinary hearing.
The senior executives were suspended in February 2026 following findings of an internal audit report that alleged gross incompetence and possible fraud.
Admarc insiders earlier said the irregularities included alleged production and distribution of rotten maize flour valued at about K100 million.
The internal audit report is also said to have uncovered suspected fraud in the entire maize flour production process, including outsourcing of milling services and utilisation of funds which involved all the suspended officials.
Early this year, Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture asked Admarc to submit within seven days a detailed report on the withdrawal of rotten maize flour on the market in December.
In December last year, Admarc withdrew about 45 metric tonnes of maize flour valued at approximately K100 million after the product was found to be rotten.
