Maravi

Evidence on corruption at RDA destroyed

Evidence on corruption at RDA destroyed
By Mwala Kalaluka
Wed 21 Dec. 2011, 13:45 CAT

VITAL evidence relating to on-going investigations into corruption activities at the Road Development Agency has allegedly been destroyed, according to security sources. And Road Development Agency executive director Dr Michael Mulenga has fired the entire procurement unit at the agency following procurement concerns.

Anti-Corruption Commission ACC sources close to the probe told The Post yesterday that some files relating to the queried road procurements, part of which were undertaken shortly before the September 20, 2011 general elections, had been burnt.

"They have burnt documents at RDA," the source said. "The investigations were targeting some of the senior people at the institution."

And RDA sources said, Dr Mulenga, who is among the people being targeted in the corruption probe at the road agency, has fired more than 15 senior and junior officers without giving any reason for the massive terminations.

"The whole procurement department has been fired. Then there is Sikazwe Kapembwa, he was chief engineer planning, Siwale Kapembwa, senior manager design too," the source said.

The sources said the firing of the whole Procurement Unit was not strange because there had been problems there.

The sources said Nason Balashi, a senior advisor who acted as RDA chief executive officer following the firing of former director, Erasmus Chilundika and three others over procurement-related matters, had also been fired.

"The other is Akabondo Munalula, senior manager road maintenance initiative," the source said. "For Akabondo, we can understand because of the way he came into RDA."

The sources said another person fired was the chief engineer for reconstruction, Richard Kasongo.

"Dr Mulenga also fired one of the old engineers at RDA, Justin Silupumbwe," the source said. "The problem is that Dr Mulenga has fired some people that had nothing to do with the corruption. So the people will perceive them as being corrupt."

The sources said the firings would have an adverse impact on the implementation of projects in the road sector, especially that some senior managers being probed for corruption were still working.

When reached for a comment on the matter, Dr Mulenga said he was not ready to comment, as he was in the middle of a meeting.

President Michael Sata recently dissolved the Luambe Mondoloka-led RDA board saying it was a conduit of corruption and shortly thereafter investigative wings moved in to conduct a probe of corrupt procurements.

Labels: ACC, CORRUPTION, RDA

posted by MrK @ 3:37 PM