Ex-IG granted bail, 4 more on ACB arrest list
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) says it will arrest four more people after fired Inspector General of Police George Kainja and Malawi Police Service legal counsel Mwabi Kaluwa who were arrested on Thursday and granted bail.
Speaking after court proceedings in Lilongwe last evening, one of ACB lawyers Victor Chiwala said the bureau will within the next few says arrest the four in connection with the case.
He said: “We will arrest four more suspects from tomorrow [today] and days to come.”
A statement issued by the bureau on Thursday indicated that Kainja was arrested for receiving an advantage from United Kingdom-based businessperson Zuneth Sattar and managing director of Xaviar Limited to influence a procurement contract reference number MPS/SB/16/04/2021 to supply 350 000 food ration packs worth $7 875 000 by unlawfully initiating a requisition of the procurement on instruction of Sattar.
Reads the statement: “The investigations conducted by the bureau established that Dr. George Kainja solicited an advantage in form of a vehicle and $8 000 from Zuneth Sattar for influencing the award of the contract to supply the food ration packs.
“He is likely to be charged with two counts of soliciting advantage in regard to contracts contrary to Section 29 (1) as read with Section 34 of the Corrupt Practices Act.”
K a l u w a , d e p u t y Commissioner of Police and the service legal officer, is accused of corruptly obtaining $20 000 from Sattar as an advantage for giving assistance in the procurement contract of the food ration packs.
Kainja was granted bail with a cash bond of K800 000 and two non-cash sureties bonded at K1 million each. The sureties are his wife Jacqueline Kainja, a senior police officer and Judith Kachiwanda, who in court identified herself as an in-law.
As part of the bail conditions, Kainja is expected to report to ACB offices fortnightly.
The beleaguered former top cop appeared before Lilongwe chief resident magistrate Madalitso Khoswe Chimwaza on Thursday under military police escort. Traditionally, suspects are escorted to court by police officers.
The arrests come three days after President Lazarus Chakwera addressed the nation on an ACB report which mentioned some people as having been involved in bribery allegations involving Sattar.
Based on the report, the President fired Kainja and suspended State House chief of staff Prince Kapondamgaga and chairperson for Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) John- Suzi Banda.
