Maravi

Dora's radar corruption trial continues

Dora's radar corruption trial continues
By Agness Changala
Tue 17 July 2012, 15:00 CAT

Magistrates' Court in her radar case on Monday - Picture by Salim Dawood
NATIONAL Airports Corporation managing director Robinson Misitala yesterday revealed that Dora Siliya accepted a free offer from Selex to repair the old radar system.

In this case, Siliya, the former transport and communications minister, is in court for two counts of abuse of authority of office.

Siliya is in the first count alleged to have directed the cancellation of a duly awarded tender for the supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of the Zambia Air Traffic Management Surveillance Radar System to Thales Air System SA.

She is in the second count alleged to have accepted a free offer from Selex Sistemi Integrati S.P.A for the repair of a radar head at the then Lusaka International Airport without following procedure.

Testifying in the matter, Mistala told the court that his office received a letter authored by Siliya which was addressed to Selex vice-president and copied to him where she accepted the free offer to repair the radar system.

He also said on January 7, 2009, his office received another letter from Department of Civil Aviation acting director David Mzeka informing them that Siliya had positively responded to a free offer to repair the old radar at Selex cost.

He said his office received another letter instructing them to go ahead and allow the free offer from Selex to repair the old equipment.

"We did allow the team to proceed as instructed," he said.

Mistala said the three officials from Italy indicated that they would complete the works within two weeks but went up to five months.

He said later the Selex team requested for additional funding for replacement of some of the components amounting to 1.6 million Euros.

However, Mistala said the equipment has never worked and that the repair was not brought to the operational status as indicated by Siliya.

He said his office raised concern on the shift by Selex from repair to installation and back to repair of old equipment.

Trial continues.

Labels: CORRUPTION, DORA SILIYA

posted by MrK @ 11:06 PM