Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda has faulted the procurement process that led to the awarding of a passport contract between Techno Brain and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services.
Nyirenda observed that the contract was fraught with irregularities and he wondered why controlling officers went ahead to sign it.
“This contract should not have been signed in the first”– Attorney General (Picture by Joseph Chikalipo)
The AG made the remarks on Monday during a press briefing he jointly held with the Minister of Information, Gospel Kazako.
“This contract should not have been signed in the first place because there were several things that were wrong,” he said.
Nyirenda further revealed that apart from retaining proceeds from the production of passports, Techno Brain had been asking for payment from Account Number One.
He warned that all the controlling officers, who were involved in the mis-procurement will face the law.
He also disclosed that there have been instances where several companies belonging to one individual, but trading under different names, have supplied goods and services to the same government ministry.
“Such a monopoly should be thrown in the bin because such practice is economic sabotage,” said Nyirenda, adding that Parliament has since given him mandate to recover all illegally-acquired wealth.
He said his office has close to 3, 000 claims, totalling over K2 trillion. But Nyirenda stated that some of the claims stand to be dismissed with costs.
He warned that any public officer found on the wrong, especially in facilitating unsound contracts, leading to government losing money will, apart from getting a custodial sentences, have their property ceased to recover funds.
Without being elaborate, the AG said it is not proper that a person convicted of a crime that caused loss to government should be enjoying by spending the same money while in prison or after release.
Nyirenda said such public officers commit the offences either due to negligence or intentional acts.
But in his remarks, Kazako emphasized that no one will lose his or her property if it was acquired legally.
The Minister of Information announced that the government has introduced “Face the Press” through which the government will be updating nation on what it is doing to uplift the lives of citizens.
Senior government officials are expected to use the platform to engage journalists and citizens who would want to pose questions on topical issues.
“There are a lot of things that the government is doing that have to be communicated to Malawians and that the citizens may also ask questions through the journalists,” said Kazako.
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