K135 million vanishes from Macra: Boss in dubious deal with Fattani, buys two vehicles for Ministry of Information
Up to K135 Million has vanished from Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) after a ‘ghost contract’ to supply and deliver “developmental” calendars was dubiously given to Fattani Offset Printers, just next door to the regulator’s head office between February and March this year, Nyasa Times can reveal.
Acting with abandon and arrogance, Director General Godfrey Itaye conspired with Procurement Expert Joseph Ngalawa to strike the deal with Fattani Offset Printers, splitting the invoices into two. Invoice number 000431193 and 00043246 which MACRA paid through National Bank of Malawi cheque number 23414, dated 25 April 2017 worthy K67 500 000, totalling to K135 million. No calendars have since been supplied.
External Auditors Pricewater House who were recently digging MACRA transactions noticed that the amount allegedly for developmental calendars could not be traced since the procurement was done without following Procurement Procedures.
MACRA Finace Manager Phiilip Nakoma rejected that MACRA 2017 official calendars were printed at Fattani Offset Printers.
“There has been no delivery of any calendars to our stores department from Fattani Offset Printers. There has been no such goods delivery note issued to confirm the so called calendars were delivered, ” said Nakoma who is also the sole administrator of the accounting computer system ACCPAC.
Nakoma, however, could not explain why MACRA made two cheque payments to Fattani manually for the developmental calendars when MACRA boasts of a vibrant Accounting Sysytem ACCPAC.
He declined to comment on the matter.
Accounts Department sources inside MACRA said there were a number of transactions that were being done manually on the orders of the Director General Itaye. They suspect part of the funds are channeled to the ruling party, while some of it ends into individuals pockets.
Nakoma said all matters to do with the media were handled by MACRA Communications manager whose mobile phone went unanswered.
Itaye’s secretary could not pick her phones but the switchboard operator said the boss was preparing for a crucial board meeting to be held in Lilongwe.
“There is nothing we can do because our DG claims to be above the ruling DPP national governing council. Everyone is now living in fear as the boss has been threatening MACRA employees,” said an Accounts source privy to the transactions.
Documents Nyasa Times has seen also reveal Itaye writting his directors asking them for their comments on a request from the then Secretary for Information Justine Saidi, asking MACRA to buy two motor vehicles, yet the Ministry of Information has its own line of funding from government subventions.
MACRA bought two vehicles after Itaye signed for the invoices whose copies a whistle blower has handed to the Anti Corruption Bureau. Copies of Registration Certificates for a KIa Sorento Registration number BU5780 and a Toyota Coaster 26 seater re- registered as Civo 1 which are in Lilongwe. Nyasa Times is in possession of the copies of certificates and invoice numbers, signed by Godfrey Itaye.
Itaye has been in the news recently for having personally awarded a contract to his parents in-laws worthy of millions, a matter being investigated by graft-busting body ACB.
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don’t waste your breath. nothing will happen. that is macra and ministry of information. busy funding dpp. koma a itaye mwaiwala komwe mwachokera. egrita has been palm oiled
This DDP is the worste government Malawi ever had. It has destroyed the whole nation and put Malawians into poverty which was not there. How can Malawians leta This continue. APM did not come tog Malawi tog help Malawians butiker live life he could not had i USA. How can we be the poorest after 54 years of independence? All Who are corrupt are never brought tog justice. This is the only country where thieves go free. Poor people are jailed for small things.
Chomchi mkumati Malawi ikuyenda bwino ndalama mukungoba.kodi ndalama zonse za misonkho yathu mwakhala mukubazi munakati mupeze njira zina zopangila magetsi kuti Mwina ma company olozeka mkutsegulidwa sizikanatheka??mugulitsa boma la Malawi ndi maize gate,cash gate ndikusowa kwa magetsiku ndithu!!
CIvil Society chonde timadalila inu. Do what you did with Chaponda to enforce Government action otherwise zithela mmazira izi. Both the police and ACB cannot do anything without your pressure. Ali ndi mabanzi nkamwa or boma lawapana
People know that whatever wrong you do will for sure put you in trouble one day. We have seen people of honour sent to prison and the world forget them. We keep repeating the same mistakes. We are not bold enough to say no to temptations! We learn a hard way! It’s only when the judge announces 20 years in Prison for the crime you committed. You wife and children wailing, You lawyers telling you they will appeal and your friends comforting you saying they just implicated you. God tells you I told you not to give in to the… Read more »
And stupid Kondowe has the guts to tell us that he served Malawi…Only if blood suckers were real he wouldnt be here to tell his nonsense. Imbecile ‘us’ ‘hoe’
This should be coming from your deputy Mr. Bisika and obviously he wants your position Mr. Director General. But then he can do it smartly without faking stories aimed at finishing you.
Dpp ndiye kaya .its too much
ARREST ITAYE NOW.WHETHER DPP OR NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What has he done to be arrested?
Koma Malawi kumvetsa chisoni. Why me Lord to be a Malawian. Why preaching about patriotism while you are not patriotic yourself. Mxiiiiiiiiiii
We are in sick nation. Bad to those making this nation sick. DPP mumudziwe Mulungu. You deliberately put such people as Itaye in government departments so that you can steal our monies. How can steal such amounts is money in the name of procuring calendars¿???
Why? And why Malawi?
Ife alomwe tikuchita manyazi pano. Anthu akutitenga ngati mbava tonse!