Former NFRA Deputy CEO Gerald Viola found with a case to answer
Principal Resident Magistrate Viva Nyimba of the Lilongwe Registry has found former Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), Gerald Viola, with a case to answer in a case where the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is accusing him of abuse of office.
ACB arrested Viola on suspicion that he, being employed as Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), abused his public position by unilaterally issuing a local purchase order (LPO) No .6750 in favour of Missies Trading to supply 10, 000 metric tons of maize valued at K3,330,000,000.00 (Three Billion Three Hundred and Thirty Million Kwacha) to NFRA for the business interest of Chrispine Chingola of the said Missies Trading without involving the Internal Procurement and Disposal of Assets Committee.
Delivering his one and half hour ruling at the open court in Lilongwe, Nyimba agreed with the State that they have really established elements of cases in all accounts.
Nyimba said the accused have right to defend themselves or to remain silent.
Earlier, the case stalled because lawyers representing Viola did not show up because the accused has not paid them.
On the other hand, Chingola’s lawyer failed to come because he was attending to a matter in Mzuzu.
The case has since been adjourned to 26 April, 2022, to allow the accused persons make submissions=.
On 1st October 2020, ACB arrested Viol in Lilongwe on suspected offences under the Corrupt Practices Act and Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
