Escom under probe for fraudulent activities – ACB

Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) is facing probe in the possible links to the plunder of public resources christened as cashgate, Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has said.

The cashgate crackdown has resulted into prosecutions of government officials and private sector individuals, with list of convicts rising now.

Escom has always been a “hot-spot” for fraud involving politicians and as such many suspected foul play in the fire at Escom House in Blantyre amid cashgate revelations in October 2013.

A previous report on the Escom fire by the previous People Party (PP)-led government ruled out foul play which was carried out by a South African Incendium.

But civil society groups insisted on a fresh probe following change of government in May, 2014.

ACB deputy director general Reyneck Matemba told the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament
on Tuesday that they have a preliminary audit for Escom but could not say if the audit pointed to “cashgate” activities.

“The ACB has an interest in Escom and we will be investigating them,” said Matemba  when he was responding to query from member of parliament for Chikhwawa North Harry Thomson on what the ACB has done on sole power utility provider.

“We have engaged foreign (experts) who could help us get something even from burnt documents,” Matemba said.

Matemba said the anti-graft body has received various reports of anomalies at ESCOM.

The ACB deputy director said they have approached British and Israeli governments to help in recovering information from The destroyed documents which could assist in the probe.