Malawi Police nab govt accounts clerk over K8m embezzlement of deceased money

Malawi Police in Balaka have arrested an accounts clerk at Balaka District Hospital for embezzlement of K8 million of deceased estate when he was working at the district council offices.

Police spokeswoman in Balaka Edith Kakhutsa said Hastings Mwachibwe, a former accounts clerk at Balaka District Hospital allegedly embezzled the money between 2009 and 2013.

“He forged documents and made out payments without authorised signatures,” she said.

The money was meant to benefit those on the list of the deceased estate.

Most of the are widows and children whose husband or father has died whilst working in government.

He also masterminded payments from the Accounts Office without beneficiaries’ signatures and by using false signatures.

Kakhutsa said Mwachibwi has since been charged with theft by servant, abuse of office and forgery of official documents.

The police spokeswoman said Mwachibwi would appear in court soon.

He has since been interdicted as accounts clerk at Balaka District Hospital.

Mwachibe hails from Guta village, T/A Bibikulunda in Salima District.

He will face three counts of Theft by Servant, Forgery and Altering False Documents, and Abuse of office.