DPP officials implicated in Immigration case
First witness in the abuse of office case involving former minister of Homeland Security Cecelia Chazama and five others, has implicated some Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) senior officials for aiding the alleged irregular recruitment of 127 immigration assistants.
The State witness DastonManda, who is former principal human resources officer at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, told the Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday that during the recruitment exercise of immigration assistants in 2017, he received a list of names from some DPP officials through former Immigration Department director general MasaukoMedi for consideration.
He said among the DPP officials that submitted names to be recruited as immigration assistants were Chazama, former ministers Joseph Mwanamvekha, JapieMhango, Francis Katsaila, Nicholas Dausi, Charles Mchacha and Paul Chibingu.
He further told the court that besides the DPP officials, through Medi he also received through Medi lists of names from State House particularly from former first lady Gertrude Mutharika and former presidential press Secretary MgemeKalirani to be considered for the job even without meeting the requirements.
Manda said a selected candidate was Gerald Viola Junior, for example, had five credits at Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) against the required six credits including English.
He said: “I received several documents which contained names of candidates to be considered. These documents were from the director general Mr. Masauko Medi and other senior members, including officials from Ministry of Homeland Affairs. The list from Hon. Chazama contained 18 names.
“The DG said at all cost, these people should be considered for the post of immigration assistants.”
Manda, who was responsible for recruitment, further told the court that lists of names he was receiving were outside the 12 000 candidates shortlisted to attend the interviews against about 36 000 applications.
Earlier in the morning, some defence lawyers asked to the court not to proceed hearing the matter, arguing that they needed time to go through all the disclosures.
Emmanuel Mwandira, lawyer representing Chazama and former Principal Secretary for Human Resource Management and Development Hilario Chimota, argued that his clients had just assigned him and he had not seen all the disclosures.
But the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) lawyers opposed Mwandira’s submission, saying he had been handling the case when he was working under Nampota and Company.
In his ruling chief resident magistrate Chisomo Msokera dismissed Mwandira’s application.
The magistrate has since adjourned the matter to this morning where Manda is expected to continue testifying in the matter.
In May last year, Chazama and five others pleaded not guilty to the charge of abuse of office in a case about the recruitment of 127 immigration assistants.
