Defence concludes Buluma questioning

 The defence in the National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) fuel contracts case yesterday concluded cross-examination of key State witness and former Nocma deputy chief executive officer Helen Buluma.

During the cross-examination in the Lilongwe Chief Magistrate’ Court defence lawyer Wapona Kita said the three suspects in the case did not influence Buluma to award a contract for the supply of 40 000 metric tonnes (MT) of fuel, as such a bid did not exist.

The lawyer wondered why Buluma, who also served as Nocma acting CEO, said the suspects in particular former presidential adviser on strategy Chris Chaima Banda, attempted to influence her to abuse her office by awarding a contract to Finergy for 40 000MT of fuel when there was no such bid.

Chaima Banda is being accused alongside former 

 Energy minister Newton Kambala and Alliance for Democracy president Enock Chihana.

Kita asked Buluma to produce the said Finergy bid, stating that one can only be awarded a contract when they have submitted a bid.

But Buluma said she could not recall if, by the time she was having conversations with the suspects, Finergy had submitted a bid.

“It happened long ago and I cannot recall because there were over 20 bids for the supply of fuel,” she told the court.

Buluma added that she was not aware of any bid for Finergy which indicated that it was looking for 40 000MT of fuel allocation and had not tendered the same as evidence.

“I have already indicated that I have not personally tendered any document as evidence in court,” she said.

However, Buluma said in her conversation with Chaima Banda, he directed her that Finergy should be  allocated 40 000MT.

But Kita said at no point did Chaima Banda direct her to award a contract to Finergy, arguing that the suspect only mentioned Finergy as an example of companies that had committed to do corporate social responsibility.

The lawyer said Chaima Banda had told Buluma that President Lazarus Chakwera wanted every company involved in the supply of fuel to indulge in corporate social responsibility and not giving money to individuals.

Meanwhile, Anti- Corruption Bureau (ACB) director general Martha Chizuma has asked chief resident magistrate Madalitso Chimwaza to allocate the State two and a half days for re-examination of Buluma.

“Considering that this is the last date, we would like to seek an adjournment so that we can do re-examination on the next sitting allocated,” she said.

Chimwaza has since allocated three days to the State and adjourned the matter to June 17 for the re-examination.

“Just prepare another witness, in case we finish re-examination earlier, so that another witness can testify,” the magistrate said.

Kambala, Chihana and Chaima Banda were arrested by the ACB on allegations that they attempted to influence Buluma to abuse her office to award contracts to Finergy and Trafigura.

The three are accused of conspiring to influence Buluma to award contracts to particular suppliers