Massive plunder at Macra, billions shared by inside cartel: Ex-boss Itaye masterminder

It has been revealed that billions of money has been swindled at Malawi Communications and Regulatory Authority (Macra) through illegal and dubious transactions sanctioned by former general manager Godfrey Itaye.

According to a document in Nyasa Times possession, Itaye and few other heads of department at Macra run a cartel that defrauded the institution through illegal payments of allowances, effecting dubious contracts, abusing fuel cards and giving key business tenders to cronies.

On payments of illegal allowances, the document reveals that due to the international travel restrictions because of the coronavirus  pandemic (Covid-19), Itaye has been withdrawing K10 million every week from January  2020 to the first week of June  2020 without supporting documents.

“This happened because the international travel restrictions due to Covid-19 meant that Godfrey Redson Itaye could no longer earn millions through inflated external travel allowances,” reads the document.

If is further alleged that these weekly transactions have no supporting documents, and were being  approved by the Finance Manager,  Phillip Willie Nakoma and Director of Finance, Ben Sones Chitsonga—who are signatories to all Macra’s accounts—also benefited from these illegal and dubious payments, reveals the document.

The document further notes that Itaye benefited immensely from a US$ 1 Agilis Contract deal he pushed for the purchase of devices that were already available in the CIRMS system ( Spy machine).

It is alleged that Itaye conspired with Macra’s procurement specialist,  Joseph Bauti Ngalawa, director of finance, Chitsonga and finance manager, Nakoma to defraud Macra the sum of USD1million on the pretext that some of the CIRMS machine components needed an upgrade.

Itaye and Ngalawa then conspired with the company that was awarded the contract for the supply, delivery and installation of CIRMS system namely Agilis International to write a justification for the upgrade although they knew that the system did not require an upgrade, according to the document.

It is further alleged that the director of telecommunications at Macra, Henry Silika refused to certify the proposal by advising Itaye and his accomplices that as a “User Directorate”, the CIRMS components did not need an upgrade.

However, acting with arrogance and abandon, Itaye and his team went ahead to process the EFT to Agilis International to the tune of USD1million, reads the document.

“Just days after the payment of USD1million were effected to Agilis International Bank Account, Joseph Bauti Ngalawa and Godfrey Redson Itaye travelled to the US where they changed the content of the contract between Macra and Agilis International.

“It is common knowledge at Macra that this is the time when they collected the USD1million and shared the proceeds amongst themselves because not a single component was upgraded in CIRMS system. The dates that the EFT to Agilis International was approved and effected by Ben Sones Chitsonga and Phillip Willie Nakoma and the dates in the passports for Joseph Bauti Ngalawa and Godfrey Redson Itaye will attest to this,” it is revealed.

Besides the contract, it is further revealed that Macra has been loading MK7 million worth of fuel in designated cards every week since January to June this year.

It is alleged that these Total fuel cards were being managed by the Macra’s Administration Manager, Pato Phoya and or the Deputy Director of HR and Administration, Macheso.

“These fuel cards were being used to fuel DPP vehicles and other personal vehicles of DPP gurus and cadets. Sometimes, these vehicles were being fuelled at Nyambadwe Service Station where Macra has a fuel account.

“Macra also gave the vehicle BS 962 (Toyota Hilux) to DPP and this vehicle has been to the party for more than three years. Despite that the vehicle was being used by DPP functionaries, fuel and servicing of the vehicle both routine and correctional was being done by Macra,” reads the document.

Other issues

• Dubious and non-existent contract on the procurement of calendars from Fattani Offset Printers worth MK135 million.

• Buying of thousands and thousands rolls of DPP cloth disguising as MACRA cloth from Mapeto David Whitehead.

• Weekly withdraws averaging K7m transferred to Itaye’s personal account weekly for campaigning for DPP.

• Drawing of three months foreign trip allowances double the approved limit.

• Donated Prado BU 6817 to Loyd Muhara former Chief Secretary for personal errands.

• Generator bought for Macra’s Lilongwe office but was taken by Mervis Mangulenje when she was Macra board Chairperson.

• Award of Car track system contract to Car Track Limited belonging to late Mr. Nseula who was Itaye’s father in-law.

• Award of contract to Itaye’s mother inlaw for the supply and delivery of printers-Kaikalion Agency.

• Award of contract to Itaye’s mother inlaw for the supply and delivery of laptops-Mulhoteni General Dealers.

• Award of contract to Hon Phiso MP for the supply and delivery of Cameras with Tripod Stand for the One Stop Service Delivery Shops. (OSSDS). (Facilitated by Ngalawa on instruction from Itaye).

• Award of contract to Mr. Francis Mphepo Chief Political Advisor on Political Affairs to the former President of the Republic of Malawi for the supply and delivery of over 130 desktop computers (facilitated by Ngalawa on instruction from Itaye).

• Award of contract for the supply and delivery of heavy duty printers to board member and President’S relation, Mr. Sheend Mwala.

• Award of transport contract to Hon Kondwani Nankhumwa for the transportation of 1,000 rolls of DPP cloth from Blantyre to Lilongwe.

• Itaye procured two vehicles a 26 Seater Coaster from Toyota Malawi and KIA Sportage BU 5780 from HTD and gave them to OPC and Ministry of Information respectively. The vehicle BU 5780 was being used by Dausi’s son who at one particular moment was involved in an accident which costed Macra over MK1 Million excess charges at Nunes Panel Beaters in Maselema, Blantyre.

• Itaye also gave the vehicle BU 2220 KIA Sportage to Ministry of Information and this vehicle was being used as a personal vehicle for Mr. Justin Adack Kumpheto Saidi when he was Principal Secretary for information.

Nyasa Times is currently making an effort to talk to Itaye but his phones are all going unanswered.

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