Ombudsman starts councils probe over missing K5.9bn

Ombudsman Martha Chizuma says her office has now started investigations into the missing K5.9 billion in local government councils.

The money is said to have been stolen from the councils in 2018 alone.

She said the probe extends to improper use of development funds which include the constituency development fund and the district development fund.

“We will also look into procurement failures,” she said, adding that some procurements were done without following the law and laid down procedures.

In earlier interviews, she described the exercise as complex, Chizuma said money which was meant for social services in critical areas such as health and education ended up in few greedy pockets of council officials.

“The abuse of office led to the people being deprived of essential services. In some cases, construction of classrooms stopped because there was no money, the money had been stolen,” she said.

She said the probe will date back from 2014 up to 2019 and she could not give a time frame as to when it will end, saying this is the first time her office has embarked on such a complex mission.

This comes at a time when minister of Local government and Rural Development Ben Phiri said the government wants to audit all councils following rampant reports of corruption and theft of public money.