Police arrest extension worker in affordable farm input scam: ‘Created ghost village’
Malawi Police in Dedza have arrested an agricultural extension worker on allegations that he created a ghost village in a daring scam in the affordable farm input.
The arrest of 43-year-old Gerald Kayambanitsa follows an on-going police investigation into Mayani Extension Planning Area ( EPA) scam over Affordable Inputs Programme which revealed that 95 ghost beneficiaries were created to benefit from the programme on Mlolo section alone.
Dedza police assistant spokesperson Cassim Manda says law enforcers have since arrested the suspect.
Kayambanitsa works as a drought animal handler under Mayani EPA.
He was assigned to identify the names of beneficiaries and ended up creating false villages with non existent beneficiaries.
Police investigation into the matter uncovered one ghost village with the total of 95 ghost beneficiaries, leading to the suspect’s arrest.
The police have since hailed traditional leaders for their quick action after noticing that beneficiaries, who were on prospective list, were not those of their subjects.
He hails from Mikuta village in Traditional Authority Tambala in Dedza district.
In a related development, police in Ntchisi have arrested a 33 year old Chikumbutso Msandide after being found in possession 36 National Identity Cards of different people who are AIP beneficiaries.
According to police report, the suspect was also found with cash amounting to K324,000.00 which he allegedly wanted to use in purchasing the cheap inputs.
The suspect was arrested on Wednesday, at Ntchisi Trading Centre after police in the district got a tip from well-wishers that some scrupulous people were collecting National Identity Cards with intent to connive with sales officers in selling points to buy the cheap inputs in bulk.
Meanwhile, police have instituted enquires to trace owners of the IDs and after all enquires the suspect will be taken to court.
Msandide comes from Chimwankhuku village, Traditional Authority Kalumo in Ntchisi district.
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We have a business and a guy stole over 800,000 MWK but police are doing nothing and saying it is a civil case. How come the police arbitrarily decide who they want to arrest and who they don’t instead of following the law.
Go to a different station. Adya dolla amenewo
Well done our police officers am impressed the way Young age started but I know you can go deeper the for is too much in this country.
Nyau kubelana zokhazokha!
This is what is actually happening all over the country. People are also paying an unofficial fee ranging from K500 to K3000 per ID and some per fertilizer bag depending on where you are. This system is even more corrupt than the coupon ones. People are wondering as to why one can change a system that had no bottleneck at the point of buying/selling and bring in this useless system. Why didn’t they just improve on the lapses of the coupon system? That’s the reason why this country will never develop because every succeeding administration abandons all what was working… Read more »
The coupons system and it’s downfalls first was expensive as this system cuts the costs of printing , distribution, allowances and this ghost village have been identified easily coz of the system , selling your ID to traders is at your own risk because you sell and never had fertilizer the one to suffer is the family of the beneficiaries not the government . So this system has downfalls too network problems. Some malawians will never learn from previous experience of hunger . It’s their fault not the system
Ana a adadi!
Enemy of progress …DPP monkey.
Did not get the memo that its SCK and Abusa incharge
zaugalu izi a DPP asiyeni apume bwino malawi never change katangale amayambila ku mtunda komweko anthu akumudzi mukanalipo kuvutika andale ndi mfiti za anthu.all politicians go to hell mumangofuna kupusitsa anthu akumudzi
Just call yourself Prophet and people will support you, all the way. That’s the way to go in Malawi.