Internal auditors speak on Capital Hill looting

As pressure mounts on Malawi Government to take to task those responsible in the capital hill looting, the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) has encouraged stakeholders to critically look at the system.

In a press statement issued on Friday and signed by the IIA president, Andy Chitete, notes that a lot of taxpayers’ will be lost if government does not focus on putting in place and enforcing preventive measures.

So far billions of taxpayer’s money has apparently been lost and government has blamed its payment system for the looting. The president has so far dissolved her cabinet due to mounting pressure from donors and Malawians, with some requesting a forensic audit and others withholding aid.

But IIA notes that when the Integrated Financial Management System (Ifmis) was introduced in government in 2005, there was no training given to auditors, however, they are supposed to provide assurance over the soundness and effectiveness of the system.

“The institute notes that Malawi has a number of structures to curb fraud and corruption such as the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, among others. The major reason these are not effective, is that they are ignored due to greed, lack of integrity and ethical morals,” said Chitete.