FIA urges caution on prosecution authority

Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) has urged the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs to undertake further research before establishing the proposed National Prosecutions Authority (NPA) to determine its viability.

The authority expressed the sentiments yesterday during an appearance before the committee in Lilongwe as part of the committee’s engagement with various prosecution agencies in the country on the NPA.

In an interview after the meeting at Parliament Building, FIA compliance and public relations manager Masautso Ebere said the country can do research on other countries with such authorities.

“There are countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa which have NPAs so we are saying it is better to do a thorough research on how these authorities operate in their countries,” he said.

During the meeting, FIA director general Jean Piriminta advised the committee on the need to formulate a good structure and a legal framework to guide the operations of the NPA.

On Tuesday, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) quashed the proposal, saying the NPA would remove prosecution powers from other existing prosecuting agencies.

ACB deputy director general Hilary Chilomba said the current set up of independent anti-corruption agencies has proved effective in enforcing anti-corruption laws and that bringing in the NPA would just bring in issues of bureaucracy.

Committee chairperson Albert Mbawala said the committee is still seeking views from the prosecution entities before it makes a decision on whether the country needs a NPA.

He said the committee has already engaged the ACB, Director of Public Prosecutions and the police, among others.