Graft busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) say they are investigating deputy Malawi Defence Commander Paul V. Phiri over allegations that he abused K38.5 million tax payer money.
ACB director Martha Chizuma has confirmed that Lieutenant General Phiri is under the graft busting body radar following reports that he abused the money in 2021.
Malawi Defence Commander Paul V. Phiri
It is alleged that Phiri, while serving as Major General in the Malawi Defence Force influenced the payment of K38. 2 million on April 20, 2021, after he had forced the accountant to authorize the payment by including his name and that of another officer through an addendum to the list of oversees training allowance arrears for MDF officers and staff.
Reports say Phiri allegedly allocated himself K10.2 million on maintenance of buildings, and K22.8 million on foreign training then allocated another K5.4 million to another officer, using a Malawi Government Malawi Defence Force payment voucher number:101PV5027437 and cheque number 379028 issued to National Bank Capital City branch.
It is further alleged that Phiri issued a letter requesting for payment of all outstanding arrears in which he alleged that his voucher was issued against an updated list of all outstanding oversees allowances which the Defence Force Commander directed to be paid without any further delay.
According to reports, this payment was to be made together with the list of officers who had been approved by the National Audit Office’s report.
Our source claims that the payout of the MK38.5 million to him for overseas training allowances had no basis as the officer did not have any outstanding arrears to claim since the MDF had already settled the arrears during the time when Mark Chiziko was the MDF Commander.
The source also alleges that the deputy commander added names of the officers who already got their allowance to increase the figures for himself.
About 17 MDF officers were eligible for overseas training while Phiri allegedly added himself with another name to the list totalling 19.
