Fire in Chaponda’s office believed arson, Malawi police investigating

Fire firefighters have been tackling a major blaze in disgruntled Minister of Agriculture George Chaponda’s office at the Capitol Hill in Lilongwe.

Fire Engulfs Ministry of Agriculture Offices
Ministry of Agriculture gutted

A witness described seeing people preparing to evacuate before the offices were gutted, reportedly after being alerted of the expected firre..

Chaponda was at parliament when the fierce fire was raging, charring official documents and other important office equipment in the top floor of the Agriculture ministry headquarters.

The first fire fighting vehicle was stuck in the mud as the vehicles rushed to the scene in the heavy down pour.

Staff from the building were assembling at fire assembling point whilst others were at car park, watching from a distant and helpless as the fire raged.

Chaponda’s personal assistant Semion Boyce was among the members of staff who hurriedly left the office when the fire started.

There are no reports of death and injuries yet and the police said they were investigating the matter.

Chaponda has been named in a presidential commission of inquiry as a suspect in corrupt practices in the infamous maizegate, the procurement of maize from Zambia.

People believe the fire is work of arson  after findings of the Commission of Inquiry instituted by President Peter Mutharika implicated Chaponda as being suspected of ‘inappropriate, suspicious and corrupt’ dealings in the maize deal.

When Chaponda appeared before parliamentary inquiry he explained that he used his personal email address rather than the official government one in his communications on the maize deal.

He said his office caught fire and destroyed the IT server.

In Parliament on Tuesday,  Rumphi East Member of Parliament Kamlepo Kalua alerted the house on the fire as Chaponda walked out of the House when the Deputy Speaker commented on the fire incident.

 

 

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diso
diso
7 years ago

Rule out word” ACCIDENT” at a time of this,NO NO NO NO NO NO NO BIG NO

chaponda
7 years ago

ma guyz a dpp maunjeni anu mwamva

Likezio
Likezio
7 years ago

Kodi ndikoyamba kuti building imeneyi iyake moto? Nthawi ya Chihana when he was a minister,same thing happened but nobody said nothing.why is CSO’s in Malawi act like Anti-government? Kodi figure ya ndalama mukuti yabedwa about K9billion..mukuitenga pati?..coz as much as i’ve read the report,there’s no where they wrote that The money was released at the bank into the hands of Chaponda or Admarc. Eish..i don’t think anyone who didn’t vote for DPP will talk good about the party..but for us southerners..DPP runs in our blood.u can’t do anythng to change us from that..we all know that CSO’s in Malawi are… Read more »

Moseliwa Khanyiwani
Moseliwa Khanyiwani
7 years ago

This is very unbearable. Do we love Malawi? lets put all issues aside. Do we need to destroy fractures at the expense of hiding the information? Please Malawi let us love this country

Likwezembe
Likwezembe
7 years ago

This is sad story God will punish u due to maize gate.

Zander mutiuze
7 years ago

Malawans u can write comments but one thing u can not is to go on the Street and show your ager. What is the problem? Where is PAC, human rights etc? Are u so coward? The stuip Police shoot for NO reason and yet they are less paid. Look now where u are. This is the end of Malawi. The whole World is laughing at u. It can not be accident at a time of this. Raise up go on the street. Or military coup. Peter is not a president. These buildings were built during Kamuzu whom DDP blame. Where… Read more »

Moseliwa Khanyiwani
Moseliwa Khanyiwani
7 years ago
Reply to  Zander mutiuze

Koma yes

Chilungamo Chimawawa
Chilungamo Chimawawa
7 years ago

mbava zavuta pa malawi

phiri
phiri
7 years ago

Dpp,chaponda,Apm the most corrupt party in the history of this country.of all offices @capitol hill why fire burnt offices of a culprit being suspected for corrupt practices in maize saga .a calculated move to destroyed witness.DPP will never win confindence of donor support as long as it remains in power.malawi pull up your socks!!!

Mkk
Mkk
7 years ago

passivity is disease which is destroying Malawi. These politicians r ruling corpses the late.We r the living dead thus the reason we r being manipulated anyhow.

Mlomwe Weniweni
Mlomwe Weniweni
7 years ago

A Malison Ndau anachotsedwa chifukwa cha chilungamo, koma a Chaponda akulimba chifukwa cha umbava. Peter waonjeza naye afufuzidwe.

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