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(NYASATIMES) Kaliati, govt corrupt fats cats being probed- ACB boss

Kaliati, govt corrupt fats cats being probed- ACB boss
By Nyasa Times
Published: October 14, 2009

Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) director Alex Nampota has said the graft-busting body is investigating corruption allegations against officials in government including Minister of Women, Patricia Kaliati but said the bureau cannot ask for their resignations.

Nampota downplaying assertions that the ACB is only effective in investigating matters concerning opposition members, said the body was equally probing government officials following official complaints.

“As we are now there are investigations going on touching both government benches and opposition benches. There are some complaints relating to some government functionaries just there are complaints against opposition personalities now that are under investigations,” ACB boss told Capital FM’s Straight Talk programme on Tuesday evening.

“But whether we can say we will have them when they are out of office that is another matter, it depends how the investigation go. If the investigations go faster, you can hear them,” he said.

Pressed by Straight Talk host, Brian Banda to name corrupt fat cats in government who are under corrupt investigations, Nampota declined saying investigations are usually confidential.

“They are under investigations because we want to ascertain whether people have committed offences or not. Now, do we start talking about them, giving an impression that they have committed crimes when we have not finished investigations,” pointed out the ACB boss.

“Fighting corruption is getting to the bottom of the truth about the allegations now we should not be getting allegations as if they are crimes,” he said.

Nampota confirmed that Kaliati is being investigated on allegations that she received bribes from a United Arab Emirates consortium as an inducement to awarding it the Nyika-Vwaza Eco-tourism Concession.

Kaliati, Minister of Women and Children was named to have received bribes when she was Information and Tourism Minister from a United Arab Emirates consortium as an enticement to award it the Eco-tourism Concession.

She was also been named in receiving bribes from Access Communications Limited to award them a license as the second fixed line telephony operator in disregard to a legal opinion made by Attorney General Hon. Dr. Jane Ansah against the award.

And recently she has been named in corruption scandal involving getting girls to government secondary schools when they are not selected.

But Nampota refused to shed light on the progress of the investigations.

“We need to be very careful when it comes to matters of corruption. We are dealing here with Malawians, citizens. Let us not be preoccupied by the position people are occupying they are basically human beings, Malawians. They cannot run away from allegations,” he said

“We have taken them as allegations. Vwayza, we have not hidden, is under investigations. Now before we complete should we say she is corrupt.” said Nampota.

ACB said it has not made recommendation for her to resign because if the bureau takes that approach it will get rid of many people in government.

“Issues of appointment, removal, suspension they lie elsewhere from the bureau. They are a prerogative of the President,” he said.

Asked what the bureau is doing on ministers who have overnight acquired a lot of wealth, Nampota said “the issue of property has to be looked at in perspective.”

“Before we came in with the Corrupt Practices Act, we had the forfeiture Act. People were divested of their assets in this country without any right to audience. The forfeiture act was repealed; we went into a new democratic dispensation where such approach to life was actually condemned.

“You cannot go and start victimising people for the sake of them having assets, no. The Corrupt Practices Act has powers, gives the bureau powers to investigate on assets and seize assets. But the investigations is done professionally, it’s done in such a way that you are not making the acquisition of the assets a problem per se, no,” said Nampota.

He explained that the law allows ACB to seize property for purposes of preservation.

Nampota said it is not possible for the bureau to shield anybody from prosecution and described corruption as a “social evil”.

Banda asked ACB is he can investigate the President on corruption allegations.

He asked: “We know how much the President gets; we have seen all over the sudden the accumulation of wealth that is associated with the President. Do you; therefore say all is well as far as the President is concerned?”

Nampota replied: “Are you saying the President is committing the crime of corruption?”

The ACB boss was also asked on clearing of former Zambian president Frederick Chiluba of all corruption charges as a good pointer for Malawi in relation to former president Bakili Muluzi graft charges, he said the matters were different.

“The Chiluba case is not the same as the Muluzi case. The Chiluba case we are talking about $500,000 in the Muluzi case we are talking about $15 million, you can’t compare and you are talking different legal system, different sets of facts.”

Straight Talk is a programme is aired live on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

Labels: CHILUBA, CORRUPTION, PATRICIA KALIATI

posted by MrK @ 5:23 AM