ACB pounces on deputy PS Liabuba
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday arrested Ministry of Homeland Security Deputy Principal Secretary Patricia Liabuba for allegedlys facilitating illegitimate procurement of an exorbitant and unbudgeted for contract.
Liabuba, who was later released on bail by senior resident magistrate Wanangwa Nyirenda, is reported to have facilitated the deal between government and One Guard FZE, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) company, for the supply of uniforms and equipment for Malawi Prison Services (MPS) without following public procurement procedures.
Her arrest brings the number of suspects in the case to four after the ACB already apprehended Principal Secretary (PS) Kennedy Nkhoma, former Homeland Security minister Nicholas Dausi and former PS Sam Madula. The three were arrested in the past seven days.
In a statement issued on Friday, ACB spokesperson Egrita Ndala said the arrest followed ACB’s recording of an allegation on October 16 2020 that the ministry suspiciously procured uniforms for the prisons and other equipment from the UAE firm without following procedures.
Ministry of Homeland Security purchased the items, that included socks, underwear, steel plates, cups, cuffs, belts and whistles between February 2019 and June 2020.
“The ACB conducted investigations which established that Ms. Patricia Liabuba abused her office and neglected official duties by, among other things, arbitrarily inviting members of the Internal Procurement and Disposal of Assets Committee to discuss the exorbitant and unbudgeted for contract for the supply of uniforms and equipment,” reads the statement.
Liabuba has since been charged with abuse of office contrary to Section 25B (1) and (4) of the Corrupt Practices Act and neglect of official duties contrary to Section 121 of the Penal Code. A report in relation to the matter that leaked recently showed that at least $13 million (about K9.7 billion) was spent by the ministry on the overpriced items in eight contracts that were reportedly awarded to One Guard FZE.
