Police arrest 5 employees of Export Traders over cheap farm input graft
Malawi Police have arrested five employees of Export Traders Group on suspicion that they were engaged in corrupt practices in the sale of subsidized cheap farm inputs.
Police spokesperson in Kasungu, Harry Namwaza said the five were arrested after an outcry from people who were on queue to buy the farm input that the employees were not selling them the farm input but instead they were selling to some vendors who were not on the queue but we’re sold more than the recommended two bags per person.
Namwaza said the suspects were found with 25 national identity cards for different people which they allegedly wanted to buy cheap inputs under the Affordable Inputs Program on their behalf.
The five are identified as Stella Chapo, 24, Chimwemwe Mwale, 39, Mercy Gondwe, 34, Felezina Kazota, 27 and Georgina Sambira, 27.
“Police got a tip that people who were on the queue waiting for their turn to buy inputs under the AIP were not assisted yet some people who were not on the queue were continuously purchasing the inputs.
“This raised suspicion amongst the people on the queue as some people were also seen buying more than two bags of fertilizer as per the requirement,” said Namwaza.
He said following the tip, the Commissioner of police for central east region, Happy Mkandawire, officer in charge for Kasungu police station, Esther Wandale, deputy commissioner of police for central east region, Noel Kaira, Kasungu police station officer, Bright Mwase and other police officers immediately visited the place where a search on all employees inside the room was conducted.
“Upon searching all employees at the place it’s when the five suspects were found with 25 National Identity Cards for different people and cash amounting K81,000,” said Namwaza.
He said meanwhile, police have instituted investigations into the matter to locate the owners of the identify cards and to establish what really transpired between the suspects and the identity cards owners.
Police have since warned that any person found to be contravening the objective the program will be arrested.
Namwaza is urging people to tip the police whenever they see or hear about any malpractice being done during the exercise to ensure that all culprits are brought to book.
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Basically what is happening in many places is that vendors are obtaining IDs from beneficiaries who cannot afford the K11,000.00 or those that are frustrated with the system. They go and buy the fertiliser bags and give one bag to the owners of the ID while they return the other bag for resale. This system is all over the country, please urgently investigate and deal with it.
In Mulanje and Thyolo so many long ques yet fertiliser is available and cannot be sold to the beneficiaries just to frustrate them so that they give their ID to the vendors.
May the police also check how the councilors of Chitete, Kasalika and Belele ward have written the beneficiaries of AIP.
Looks all are women who aspire for appointments in various govt institutions.
Yes, but then this is a step backwards in the fight for gender equity. Some quarters of the society would think that women in the country are not yet ready to take up positions which have all along been dominated by men
Company iyi imalemba akazi okhaokha.