ACB  czar reports ‘progress’ in Crossroads Hotelgate probe

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director general Reyneck Matemba, has disclosed that the bureau is making good progress in investigating a suspicious transaction between the State House and the Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe recently.

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC  and Youth and Society (YAS) called  for expedited investigations into the matter.

Addressing a news conference in Lilongwe on Thursday, Matemba said the bureau is receiving good cooperation from concerned parties.

“I wish to inform you that the bureau is making very good progress investigating this case and we are receiving good cooperation,” he said.

The bureau launched the probe into the transaction following demands from human rights groups, including the Centre for Mindset Change (CMC) and the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), which wrote the graft-busting body to thoroughly investigate on the alleged abuse of public funds to pay hotel bills to the tune of K65 million for some guests whose mission in the country secretive.

One of the directors of Crossroads Hotel, Sameer Sacranie confirmed  that State Residences paid a cheque of K12.5 million through a cheque to the hotel for the guests and the rest of the bill was being paid on cash.

President Lazarus Chakwera welcomed the investigations.

The four foreign guests were booked at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe in July under the name Miguel Elias of Chitundu Distributors based in Blantyre.

Sacranie said the guests, who include Elias had booked suites worth $300 per night each for eight days before moving into rooms pegged at $90 per night for the rest of the days.

Miguel –  a staunch supporter of Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP) –  is allegedly the consultant who brought the visitors reportedly from Russia in the country for “special operations”.

Meanwhile, ACB has disclosed that activities to mark this year’s Anti-Corruption Awareness Month will take place at Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre where the guest of honour will be President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima.

The day will be commemorated on the 9th of December 2020, with few guests expected to attend because of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) preventive measures, according to Matemba.