Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) has rallied behind President Dr Lazarus Chakwera’s fight against graft in the country.
In a statement, the party salutes President Chakwera for disciplinary measures he took on Tuesday against some public officers which include withholding delegated duties to Vice President Saulos Chilima, firing of Police Inspector General George Kainja, among others.
Lillian Patel: Acting president of UDF
However, UDF has asked the graft busting body, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) to release comprehensive corruption reports, with particulars of the alleged offenses.
An ACB report on businessman Zuneth Sattar says he might have bribed 84 people from public officers, civil servants, politicians, judges and journalists with huge sums of money and other gifts including expensive vehicles and television sets.
“We agree that the Bureau, in its independent judgement, should release reports to the public which are comprehensive and contain particulars of the alleged wrong doing to avoid actions being taken against otherwise innocent Malawians and infringing the principle enshrined under article 4.2 of the Republic Constitution that any accused citizen has a right to be presumed innocent, unless and until they are convicted according to the law,” says the statement signed by party leader Lilian Patel and secretary general Kandi Padambo.
The statement comes after President Chakwera faulted ACB over its failure to provide details on what Vice President Saulos Chilima and Chief of Staff for State Residences did in relation to Sattar’s alleged corrupt dealings.
