ACB probes Chitipa MP in fake MSCE certificate scandal

The Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) has started investigating Chitipa South (Nthalire) Member of Parliament (MP), Chimango Mughogho Gondwe for allegedly using fake credentials to gain admission into Parliament, Nyasa Times understands.

Mughogho who succeeded her father, Chipimpha Mughogho as MP for the constituency, is said to have forged MSCE certificate of her sister, Wezzie Mughogho who is currently working as a nurse outside Malawi and later presented it to Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) as a qualification to partake in the 2009 general elections.

The graft-busting body has confirmed of the investigations, which are currently underway.

Egritta Mdala: ACB investigating

“The Anti-Corruption Bureau is conducting an inquiry on allegation that the Member of Parliament for Nthalire presented a fake certificate to the Malawi Electoral Commission. The Bureau is still conducting that inquiry,” said ACB Public Relations Officer (PRO) Egrita Ndala in response to Nyasa Times questionnaire on the issue.

Ndala, however, refused to divulge more details on the matter for fear of jeopardizing the investigations.

But Nyasa Times has learnt that just last week, ACB officers made a visit to Mughogho’s constituency, Chitipa South (Nthalire) as well as the office of the Chitipa District Commissioner (DC) as part of its investigations on the issue.

The officers questioned several villagers and officials in the DC office.

During presentation of academic qualifications for 2009 general elections, Mughogho is said to have first presented unaltered Wezzie’s MSCE certificate with an aim of adopting her sister’s name.

She even went ahead to print out campaign T-shits with the name Wezzie on them before was forced to change to her real name after the DC’s office refused to recognize the certificate.

Mughogho is said to have later decided to doctor her sister’s academic qualifications by deleting the first name and replace it with hers. Though it seemed to have worked, the certificate can easily be identified as forged.

If Mughogho is prosecuted and found guilty by court law, will become second MP to lose the parliamentary seat after Lucius Banda who, in 2006, was convicted by Zomba Magistrates Court for presenting forged MSCE certificate in 2004 general elections.

Any Member of Parliament who happens to lose his/her seat due to legal convictions by court of law is not allowed to contest any elections until a period of seven year elapse.

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