Eye witnesses say that the fire that gutted the whole building of the offices of the Ministry of Agriculture at capital hill started in the office of Minister Dr George Chaponda.
They said this happened after hearing something bursting from the Agriculture Minister’s office.
Chaponda who is under investigation in the K26 billion maize-gate scam is suspected to be behind the incident.
According to some quarters, Chaponda was seen going out of the Parliament house in the ongoing 2016-2017 mid year review budget for almost 40 minutes to unknown place.
It took almost 20 minutes for him to come back in the chamber after it was reported that the capital hill offices are on fire.
Reports reaching Maravi Post indicate that almost everything that was inside Chaponda’s office including computers have been burned into ashes.
Some quarters believe that this was a deliberately done move by Chaponda with the aim of destroying evidence against him in the maize-gate saga.
However, Minister of Information who is also government spokesperson Nicholas Dausi rubbished the rumors.
“No one knows the cause of the fire, it is therefore unacceptable to accuse the Agriculture Minister Dr George Chaponda. As government, we shall comment on that after knowing the cause, but as of now what we know is that the office is on fire,” said Dausi.
Despite delay to arrive at the scene, the fire fighters failed to extinguish the fire.
Maravi Post can reveal that one of the fire fighters’ vehicles was stuck in the mad inside the capital hill because of the heavy rain but was later pulled out by the police vehicle.
Meanwhile, efforts to extinguish the fire is in the process and Maravi Post will keep you updated.