ACB vows to investigate ‘maizegate’ minister without fear or favour: Malawi Law Society urges dismissal of Chaponda

Graft busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director Lucas Kondowe has said he has officially received the report by presidential commission of inquiry on maizegate on Monday and vowed to investigate Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water development George Chaponda as recommended without fear or favour.

Kondowe’s statement comes at a time most Malawians have lost trust in ACB and suspect it will not investigate thoroughly Chaponda and Transglobe as recommended in the Justice Anastasia Msosa headed commission of inquiry on maizegate.

“I have received both the electronic and hard copy report. This is your ACB, you employed us, and we will investigate without fear or favour. The ACB will work for the interest of Malawians,” said Kondowe.

He said the ACB started its investigations in the procurement of maize way before the report was released on Saturday.

“We will now have to investigate further the minister and Transglobe,” he said.

Malawi Law Society president John Suzi Banda urged president Peter Mutharika to fire Chaponda to give way to ACB to investigate Chaponda without problems.

“It would be surprising to see the President working with a suspected criminal in his cabinet.

“Although he has the constitutional powers to hire or fire cabinet ministers, it will be interesting to see how he works with a suspected criminal,” said Banda.

The damning report says it found the conduct of Chaponda, in his dealings with Transglobe, most inappropriate, suspicious and raising issues of corrupt practices.

Chaponda and Transglobe deny any wrong doing.