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.
Sure Jelbin mk, WE ARE TOTALLY & DEADLY DENIED OF OUR CONSUMER’S RIGHTS.ESCOM BEING IN THE ARMPIT OF GOVT.,DOES EVERY EVIL IT WANTS TO MALAWIANS.IAM ONE OF THEM.I PAID MY MONEY LAST YEAR JANUARY,BUT UPTO NOW,IAM NOT CONNECTED.BUT MY NEIGHBOUR WHO PAID IN MAY THE SAME YEAR IS ALREADY CONNECTED.SO U CAN ASK HOW?WHY? THE GOODNESS IS THAT MY NEIGHBOUR TOLD ME THE TRUTH THAT HE BRIBED THEM WITH K10,000.00.THAT IS WHY THEY QUICKLY JOINED HIM THAN MYSELF.I STAY IN MZUZU AREA IB.THESE PEOPLE ARE CRUEL.THAT IS WHY THEY REMAIN WITH ONE HYDRO-PLANT DONE BY OUR LATE BELOVED ONE DR… Read more »
What about those corruption cases involving MERA and ADL Bosses. Why is ACB taking long to investigate? President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika is keen to root out corruption in this country so ACB should always move with speed in investigating corruption cases.
Internal sources at ESCOM will tell you there’s a percentage for every bill paid that goes to the ruling party of the moment.
Waiting for last year procurement scandal under management seal to be resorted.
I can’t wait to see the final report on escom because they behave as if they own people’s rights. Another problem is that Malawians are not familiar with their constitutional rights otherwise if any service provider be it public or private deliverer delays in delivering the service you paid for then the deliverer is to be sued for obtaining money by false pretence or that money should be paid back to the client with interest because they themselves do not just keep your money aside, they make profits during that period of denying you the service you have fully paid… Read more »
ESCOM,big problem,its like it has its own ppl best at heart,yet the whole public need & pay their stupid insufficient electricity.
Iam happy to hear that even burnt documents will provide imformation eish.They thought to be clever enough to deliberately set alight important documents.My only worry is that foreign companies who will be investigating are not cheap at all,as Malawi is a very poor country.
Honestly I dont see how these fraud crimes end. Kodi nkhani ngati za achair zili pati??? Nanga za ndalama zimapezeka ma carton ku state house zija zili pati? Izi zimangoonongetsanso ndalama zambiri za dziko aaaa koma phindu osaoneka.
As usual and as expected nothing will come out of this
Toothless ACB
That is why ESCOM has no MERCY on its consumers by getting BRIBES if they want a quick connection of electricity.Anthu ambiri tikukira ndi chi ESCOM ICHI,chifukwa tinalipira kale kale 6months,1yr,2yrs 3yrs ena mpaka 5yrs,osawapatsa magetsi eti poti ndiwowumira kuwapatsa ziphuphu.Maneba tikuawona akuwalumikizira MSANGA atapereka CHIPHUPHU. There is NO WONDER & DOUBT WITH ESCOM TO INDULGE IN SUCH MULPRACTICES.PEOPLE ARE BITTERLY CRYING ON THE GRASSROOT FOR THEIR MONEY THEY PAID DECADES & DECADES OF MONTHS & YEARS AGO.WHY IS THE GOVT.FAILING TO INVITE OTHER COMPANIES WHO CAN INVEST IN THE SAME,SO THAT THIS PERPETUAL PROBLEM CAN BE EASED.ESCOM IS CRUEL,A… Read more »