BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) says is working closely with the Malawi Police Service ( MPS) and the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that this year’s Affordable Input Programme ( AIP) is being implemented free from corruption.
The Malawi’s graft bursting body Dirctor General Martha Chizuma revealed the relationship of the three on Friday December 2,2022 during a media interface in Blantyre on the upcoming International Anti Corruption Day as well as progress the bureau has made on various cases.
Chizuma disclosed that ACB has been involved from the onset including the screening of beneficiaries to deal away with “ghost beneficiaries” and that it will now be involved in the retrieval of inputs by farmers.
She since then advised the general public to report all corrupt practices taking place in the implementation of the AIP program this year.
“If you suspect any corruption cases taking place in this year’s AIP program, please report such cases to our office by contacting us on 113 free number for all networks,” said Chizuma.
Chizuma further revealed that there has been a rise in cases in relation to AIP that the bureau has investigated with a 62% increase.
In addition, Chizuma said the bureau has also registered a 27% increase in completed investigations.
She then attributed the progress to a number of factors including the recruitment of more investigators and prosecutors which has greatly assisted in fast tracking investigations.
The ACB DG concluded by bemoaning the slow pace at which grand corruption cases are moving at prosecution level, saying the move is derailing conclusion of many corruption cases the bureau has handled.
In 2021, ACB opened 30 case files in relation to the selling of farm inputs under AIP.
Most of these cases were to do with extortion where AIP program officers were demanding money from the beneficiaries in the range of MK3000 to MK5000 so as to access the affordable inputs
