‘Stationary-gate’: Council forces 4 senior officials go on leave

Nkhotakota district council has forced four senior officials, including the director of finance and accountant, go on forced leave over a K1.8 million ‘stationary-gate’.

Sources at the council said the four took the money from social cash transfer vote.

“They wrote a cheque which was duly signed on the pretext that they wanted to buy stationary worth K1.8 million. But the stationary was never delivered to the council,” said the source.

The four are deputy director of procurement Dereck Mwenda, acting accountant Mathias Makoti, the director of finance Mr. Kalua and another senior official Kingston Banda.

The source said the four by-passed the internal procurement committee which vets all procurement needs for the council.

District Commissioner Medson Matchaya confirmed the four are on forced leave, saying investigations on the matter are going on.

The council is also failing to account for some vehicles, including ambulances which some people think some officials sold out and pocketed the money.