Malawi Roads Authority suspend CEO Hiwa over K217mil wrongful self-enrichment

Roads Authority (RA)  Chief Executive Officer Trevor Hiwa has been suspended  after  a team of investigators   found him  guilty that he  awarded a K217 million World Bank funded project to his own company called Infracon Limited  and that he should face disciplinary action, government spokesman has confirmed.

Minister of Information, Communication and Technology, Malison Ndau, who is also government spokesman confirmed that Hiwa has been suspended.

“Yes it is true he has been suspended,” Ndau confirmed on Friday.

“I tried to find out from the chairman of the board and he has confirmed that it is indeed true Hiwa has been suspended,” Ndau said.

However, he said Hiwa has not been served with the suspension letter which he said has been written while he is abroad on official duties accompanied by Minister of Transport and Public Works  Francis Kasaila.

Roads Authority boar chairman Jackson Gomani also confirmed the suspension.

“The board has indeed suspended Roads Authority CEO,”  said Gomani.

He also confirmed that Hiwa is currently in Equatorial Guinea on official duties but will proceed to a forced leave on return home.

Gomani confirmed that an investigations report dated September 29, 2016 was submitted to the board  recommended disciplinary action.

The findinds of the investigations were also submitted to Secretary to Trreasury, Ronald Mangani.

“[Hiwa] may therefore be liable to disciplinary action un ine with RA’s Conditions of service and his employment contract,” the investigations report recommends.

The contract No RA/ CON/2015-16/09, which World Bank funded to the tune of US$303 823, was for the design and construction, and supervision services of various roads in Central Region and Southern regions following the floods that devastated the country in 2015 under the Malawi Flood Emergency Recovery Project (MFERP

The investigators included  Chief Director responsible for good governance in the office of president and cabinet Wezi Kayira (chairman),  chief state advocate in the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs Richard Santhe, Director of Human resources management and development Hilario Chimota and deputy director in the office of director of public procurement Edward Jeke.

The matter has attracted the attention of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) which said ot  already received a complaint on the matter s.

“The Anti-Corruption Bureau had already received the complaint before the time it appeared in the paper. It is processing and will review the complaint to see if there is merit to warrant its action,” said ACB’s Senior Public Relations Officer Egrita Ndala.