By ALICE NACHILEMBE
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Chipata has arrested former Chama North constituency development fund (CDF) Chairperson for corrupt practices involving K350, 000.00.
The commissioner in Choma has also arrested a Provincial Education Officer and Provincial Accountant, at the Provincial Education Office for corrupt practices.
Mr Ancrate Gondwe, 60 of Kaozi settlement scheme in Chama was arrested and charged with one count of willful failure to follow laid down procurement procedures and guidelines
Details being that Mr Gondwe on dates unknown but between 1st September, 2012 and 31st march, 2013 being a public officer, jointly and whilst acting together with Yaphet Simpamba , the Chama District Council Secretary and other persons unknown did willfully fail to comply with laid down procurement and CDF procedures and guidelines.
The two fraudulently facilitated the payment of K350, 000 CDF to Techmiya Commercials Limited for the purchase of a grader and a tipper truck, which were not delivered.
Stephen Chishiko and Mulima Mainga were jointly arrested and charged with two (2) counts of willful failure to comply with the law and applicable procedure relating to management of funds.
Mr Chishiko was further charged with one (1) count of Abuse of authority of office and Possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Details in the two (2) counts of willful failure to comply with the law and applicable procedure relating to management of funds are that Stephen Chishiko and Mulima Mainga on dates unknown but between 1st August, 2014 and 31st December 2014 in Choma being public officers namely, Provincial Education Officer and Provincial Accountant, respectively, jointly and whilst acting together with persons unknown, willfully failed to comply with the law and laid down procedure by transferring K125,000.00 to Chalimbana College of Education, and additionally varying the use of K110,000.00 from its intended purpose.
Particulars in the third count are that Stephen Chishiko on dates unknown but between 1st August 2014 and 31st December 2014 in Choma, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, did abuse authority of his office by directing the then Head teacher of Macha Girls Secondary School to transfer ZMK110,000. 00 from the bank account of Macha Secondary School to the Provincial Education Office bank account.
Particulars in the fourth count are that Stephen Chishiko between 1st January, 2014 and 31st March, 2015 did receive in his Standard Chartered personal bank account, money amounting to K397, 368.87, being reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime. The suspects have since been released on bond and will appear in court soon.
This is contained in a statement issued by Timothy Moono ACC Public Relations Manager