Mathanga nabbed as ACB arrest former Escom bosses Kandulu, Nkhono over corruption

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested former Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) Chief Executive Officer, John Kandulu  and Jean Chifundo Mathanga, a commissioner of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC)over corruption allegations.

Kandulu’s  arrest comes hours after the anti-graft body picked another former Escom employee, Fanuel Nkhono, and another employee Emelius Kandapo.

The bureau’s senior public relations officer Egritta Ndala also confirmed in a statement the arrest of Mathanga, who was Escom board chairperson.

All the four  willl be prosecuted in relation to a K4 billion procurement scam at the power utility.

ACB said the procuement were made “without following proper procedures.”

The graft-busting body has concluded investigations and its head Reyneck Matemba has approved a request from the investigator to proceed with prosecution of the suspects.

ACB  said  on September 2016  it received a complaint that Escom made procurement worth 4 billion without complying with procurement procedures.

” The ACB instituted investigations which established that there was indeed procurement at Escom which was done without following laid down procedures,” said Ndala in a statement made available to Nyasa Times.

The lists the suspects, who include Mathanga and Kandulu to be prosecuted .

Mathanga is being lined for prosecution for giving false information, contrary to Section 14 (a) of Corrupt Practices Act (CPA).

Other people ACB wants prosecuted are John Santana and Lyton Moyo. They are to be prosecuted under Section 63(1) as read with Section 63(2) of the Public Procurement Act, according to the memo.

ACB said the fe four are also to be prosecuted under Section 25B (1) of CPA.