CSOs for expedited disposal of graft cases
National Elections Systems Trust (Nest) and Pan-African Civic Educators Network (Pace-Net) have asked the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to expedite prosecution of corruption cases, saying delayed disposal of some might affect 2025 elections.
During a joint press briefing in Blantyre on Monday, Nest executive director Unandi Banda and his PaceNet counterpart Olive Mpina expressed concern over the pace at which the corruption case involving business person Zuneth Sattar is being handled.
The two civil society organisations (CSOs) also expressed concern that since Martha Chizuma was appointed ACB director general in April last year, the bureau has failed to work with other critical offices in the fight against corruption. The CSOs feared that lack of coordination with other offices such as the Attorney General, Director of Public Prosecutions and Financial Intelligence Authority in handling corruption cases may delay the prosecution of the cases.
Said Banda: “Some people might be barred from taking part in the elections because suspects that are mentioned by the ACB are key stakeholders in the electoral process.”
On her part, Mpina said if Chizuma felt she cannot complete prosecuting all the corruption cases before the 2025, elections she should voluntarily resign or be relieved of her duties by those that have jurisdiction over her office.
She said “Nest and PaceNet are troubled with the lack of comprehensive strategy by the ACB boss in fighting corruption. What Malawians see or hear are either threats to arrest people or arrests that yield nothing tangible in the immediate.”
Efforts to get comments on the concerns from Chizuma and the bureau’s spokesperson were unsuccessful yesterday
But speaking in Mzuzu on similar concerns, Chizuma said: “The public wants results today and now. They want an arrest and a conviction the same day. It does not work like that.”
On June 21 2022, President Lazarus Chakwera withheld Vice-President Saulos Chilima’s delegated functions pending investigations following ACB’s report on Sattar’s dealings.
The President also fired Police Inspector General George Kainja and suspended State Residences chief of staff Prince Kapondamgaga, as well as Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets board chairperson John Suzi-Banda for their alleged involvement in the alleged Sattar-related corruption case.
