Ex Karonga-ADD boss named prime suspect in tractor scandal, on the run

Programmes Manager for Karonga Agricultural Division (KRADD), Wellington Phewa, has been named as the chief orchestrator in the shady sale of a multimillion kwacha government owned tractor to people in neighbouring Tanzania.

Police have initiated a man hunt for Phewa suspected to be hiding in Mzuzu, Nyasa Times has learnt.

The tractor, registration number MG 647, was sold some two months back with the deal getting busted immediately Karonga council officials launched investigations after smelling foul play.

Team leader of Nyasa Times  the investigations who is also vice president of the council Ernest Mwalughali told  that the tractor was “an asset” to the council.

“The tractor had been packed at his office´s garage for maintenance but since we didn´t take it back quickly he managed to sell it to Tanzania without the council´s knowledge,” explained Mwalughali.

He added: “Phewa lied to us that the tractor was on the list of properties which were auctioned some two weeks ago but has failed to produce the documents as well as coming here to explain to us what rely happened with our vehicle.”

Concurring with Mwalughali, the district Human Resource Officer Tamika Milimbo wondered how the tractor was sold despite being in the good condition as well as not following the recommended procedures of boarding off government properties.

“First of all there are procedures that we follow when any department decide to auction government properties amongst them, the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC), National Audit, Ministry of Finance as well as the PVHO certify the process of which in our investigation has revealed that none of it was done. On top of that the vehicle was in good condition that was not supposed to be auctioned, therefore we have find out that the process was illegal,” said Milimbo.

In his remarks, Traditional Authority Kilipula asked the council to use its power to summon the suspect so that he can explain to them how and why he sold the tractor on their back and report the matter to the police for further investigation.

However, Nyasa Times have failed to hear the side of the suspect as he is not answering his mobile phone.

Meanwhile the council has agreed to involve the police in the matter as one way of speeding up the process in order to bring back the tractor as well as arresting the suspects.