DPP Urges Malawi Police to Start Criminal Probe Against Dodma, Reserve Bank On Covid-19 Funds
he Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Dr Steven Kayuni has told the Malawi Police Service to start criminal investigations against officials at the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) and Reserve Bank of Malawi over abuse of Covid-19 response funds.
Kayuni has verified the authenticity of the letter he wrote to Inspector General of Police George Kainja asking police investigators to focus on the aspect of the Ombudsman’s report whichfound, among others, that some officers at Dodma were negligent, reckless and incompetent.
Further, the DPP wants a probe into the manner in which the Board of the central bank wrongly donated K6 billion in the process and flouted internal procedures.
“Sir, such conduct cannot go unchecked,” reads Kayuni’a letter to Police chief.
“Further, such conduct is an affront to the cherished values and aspirations of Malawians in accordance to the Constitution and Public Finance Management Act i.e. due account for the economy, right to health, efficiency, effectiveness and avoidance of pilferage and waste of the public resources pursuant to law.”
The letter continued:”Any person who misuses or abuses such public funds needs to be punished and, where possible, proceeds of such criminality be confiscated. Covid-19 is still rearing its ugly head and Malawians are suffering from the relics of the said abuse.”
Kayuni wants the officials investigated on three main charges, namely abuse of office, fraud by using false pretence, theft by public servant and negligence by public officers in preserving money.
The DPP’s position comes against a background of revelations that some public officers are yet to account for the K6.2 billion Treasury disbursed to them last August for Covid-19 response.
