Malawi’s anti-corruption body has arrested its former head and the ex-director of the country’s state procurement agency for allegedly receiving kickbacks from controversial British businessman Zuneth Sattar.
In a statement late Monday, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said it arrested former ACB director Reyneck Matemba and ex-Public Procurement Agency boss John Suzi-Banda at the weekend for allegedly taking bribes to award a contract to Sattar’s company to supply food to Malawi’s police service.
ACB spokesperson Egrita Ndala said the duo connived to influence the tender process by clandestinely awarding the contract to supply 350,000 food ration packs worth more than US$7.8 to the Malawi Police Service.
Matemba allegedly received a US$10,000 kickback while Suzi-Banda is believed to have been given US$2,900 from Sattar or his agents.
The officials face up to 12 years in prison if found guilty.
Sattar is at the centre of a sensational corruption scandal that has sucked in several Malawian public and private sector officials, including Vice President Saulos Chilima.
JN/APA