Drama at PCL Bosses’ Case Hearing: Mbeye Criticizes CEO Mangani in Court

There was drama during the compensation hearing of former Press Corporation Limited (PCL) executives when PCL Chief Finance Officer Moureen Mbeye publicly criticized her boss, Chief Executive Officer Ronald Mangani, for his comments on the case.

The hearing, presided over by Industrial Relations Court (IRC) Deputy Chairperson Tamanda Nyimba, involves three former PCL executives: George Partridge (Group Chief Executive Officer), Benard Ndau (Group Administrative Executive and Company Secretary), and Elizabeth Mafeni (Group Financial Controller). The trio is seeking compensation for what they argue was their unlawful dismissal.

During cross-examination by lawyer John Suzi-Banda, representing the former executives, Mbeye distanced PCL from a press statement issued by the Minority Shareholders of Listed Companies Ltd (MISALICO). The statement, which criticized the IRC’s judgment and urged PCL to appeal, alleged that the executives were consulted during a functional review that led to their dismissal—an assertion contrary to the court’s ruling.

Mbeye categorically denied any collusion between MISALICO and PCL, asserting that the information in the statement was incorrect. She also admitted that it was improper for MISALICO to comment on an ongoing court matter.

“There was no collusion between MISALICO and PCL, and the facts presented were wrong. It was also not proper for our CEO, Dr. Mangani, to comment on an ongoing court case,” she said.

The hearing also spotlighted governance concerns involving Mbeye’s role as a board member of National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc, a key PCL subsidiary. Suzi-Banda questioned the propriety of Mbeye applying for the Chief Finance Officer position at NBM plc while serving on its board.

Mbeye explained that she resigned from the board before applying for the position but returned to her role after failing to secure the job, which was awarded to an internal candidate, Daniel Jere. She now sits on NBM plc’s Finance and Audit Committee, which supervises Jere—a situation Suzi-Banda suggested was a conflict of interest.

However, Mbeye maintained that she was not conflicted, stating, “I do not see how my position breaches rules of good governance.”

Further drama unfolded when Mbeye was questioned about her relationship with Press Trust Executive Secretary Gibson Ngalamila and PCL Chief Operating Officer Dr. Lyton Chithambo, both of whom were her university classmates. Press Trust, a majority shareholder in PCL, appoints four of the six non-executive directors on the PCL Board.

The court heard allegations that Ngalamila had posted in their class WhatsApp group about impending leadership changes at PCL before the functional review began. This review eventually led to the dismissal of the three executives, while Mbeye and Chithambo retained their positions.

Mbeye denied the WhatsApp allegations, claiming it was “sheer coincidence” that only Ngalamila’s classmates were unaffected by the retrenchments.

The three former executives are demanding a substantial K34 billion in compensation. The court is expected to deliver its judgment on the matter at a later date.

The hearing has not only highlighted governance and operational concerns within PCL but has also raised questions about transparency and accountability in the company’s decision-making processes.

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