Sumbuleta arrested on fraud allegations
The Fiscal and Fraud Section of the Malawi Police Service in Blantyre on Tuesday arrested former Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) director general (DG) Aubrey Sumbuleta on fraud allegations.
In an interview yesterday, National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera said Sumbuleta is alleged to have committed fraud in relation to the purchase of MBC’s vehicles when he was DG.
He said: “I can confirm that we have indeed arrested Mr Sumbuleta on fraud allegations he committed while he was MBC director general.
“He is implicated in a fraudulent procurement process of some company [MBC] vehicles when he was heading the parastatal.”
Kadadzera said as of yesterday, Sumbuleta was being held at Blantyre Police Station and that he is expected to appear in court within the stipulated 48 hours.
However, Kadadzera said he could not give more details on the matter since investigations were still ongoing.
Sumbuleta’s lawyer in another case, David Kanyenda declined to comment, saying he is not representing him in the current matter.
Multiple sources yesterday confided in The Nation that Sumbuleta is alleged to have taken four new vehicles that were bought for MBC.
The sources said Sumbuleta allegedly sought permission to purchase 10 vehicles for the institution through a Japanese car importing company meant for the institution.
“But out of the 10 vehicles that were bought, only six were delivered to MBC while the other four are suspected to have been taken by the former DG [Sumbuleta].
“But since he was the man in charge, no one could question him,” explained one of the sources.
According to the sources, officers from the Fiscal and Fraud Unit of Police have in recent months been questioning some drivers at the parastatal as part of their investigations which have subsequently led to the arrest of Sumbuleta.
The ex-MBC DG has an ongoing case pertaining to sexual harassment and abuse of office.
He was arrested after the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) carried out investigations into alleged reports of sexual harassment of female employees.
It is alleged that Sumbuleta committed the alleged offences while he was heading the parastatal during the erstwhile governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regime.
During the DPP regime, he was branded a ‘cadet’ ; hence, he was immune to prosecution from the alleged offences due to his connections to the former governing party’s rule. He was sent on forced leave in October 2020.
