Matemba names Chizuma, others as witnesses
Former Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director general Reyneck Matemba has named his successor Martha Chizuma and three other ACB officials as potential witnesses in his corruption case.
When the High Court of Malawi Financial Crimes Division reconvened yesterday for a case relating to the award of a $7.875 million Malawi Police Service ration packs contract to United Kingdom-based businessperson Zuneth Sattar, he pleaded not guilty to two counts of failure to declare interest in the approval and vetting of the $7.875 million (about K8 billion).
Matemba said he wants Chizuma, ACB director of corruption prevention Mary Phombeya and investigators Grant Nkosi and Fidelis Chinsakaso to appear in court at all cost.
The former ACB head, whose case stems from the time he served as Solicitor General and Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) board member, said the presence of the four ACB officials will help the court in disposing of the matter.
“In case the prosecution is wondering, when they go back to ACB to consult, they will understand why I need them. They will come to testify. If they don’t, I will ask the court to demand their presence,” he said.
Matemba, who is representing himself, said he wondered what the graft-busting agency is trying to achieve in the case as it keeps coming up with different charge sheets.
He has since demanded that the ACB should furnish him with 13 documents, including the letter from the ACB to the PPDA, granting approval for the Malawi Police Service to proceed to procure the ration packs from Sattar’s company Xaviar Limited and statements by ACB officers who handled the vetting and clearance of the contract.
ACB principal legal and prosecutions officer Golda Rapozo informed the court that the bureau intends to parade 13 witnesses to prove the case, including two from the National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom.
Rapozo also clarified that the ACB is not conducting investigations, but will be obtaining statements from other witnesses.
ACB senior legal and prosecutions officer Peter Sambani committed that the ACB will provide Matemba the documents he was looking for, except for two.
Presiding judge Violet Chipao said it was unfortunate that the State failed to file all disclosures after one year. She ordered ACB to give Matemba statements of at least 10 witnesses within 14 days.
“It is only fair that when the accused is taking a plea, the accused is furnished with all statements,” said Chipao.
The judge further ordered the ACB to formally make an application for amendment of the charge sheet within seven days.
The case has been adjourned to September 25 2023
