Anti-Corruption Bureau, Uladi Mussa in verbal war
A verbal battle has ensued between Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and ruling Democratic Progressive Party Central Region vice-president, Uladi Mussa, after the High Court found him with corruption charges to answer.
He is being accused of misusing public office by illegally offering passports to foreigners when he was a Cabinet minister.
However, on Sunday, Mussa, in an interview with a local radio station, allegedly insulted ACB officers and discredited their competences.
“Upon being asked about the criminal case, where he is being prosecuted by ACB, Mr. Mussa took time to insult officers and discredited ACB’s competence for, according to him, arresting and prosecuting him when he is ‘innocent’,” an ACB press release, dated November 4 2019, reads.
The statement, which ACB Director General, Reyneck Matemba has signed, says ACB has nothing personal against Mussa and that the body will not be intimidated or influenced by his media ‘outburst or utterances’.
“As a person who has previously held various Cabinet portfolios, the least the bureau can expect from Mr. Mussa is to resort to intimidatory tactics that instil fear and panic in ACB officers for simply doing their work,” the statement reads.
Mussa has, however, distanced himself from the accusation.
“I did not say officers. I said the one who was principal investigation officer,” he said.
Mussa was arrested on March 6 2017, alongside David Kwanjana, former senior assistant chief immigrations officer, now Regional Immigration Officer for the Centre.
ACB also arrested a number of suspects including Malawian national Peter Katasha, Burundian Pascal Rwasa and Rwandese Esili Kubwimana.
A statement released on October 28 2019 says all the suspects, including Mussa, have been found with cases to answer.
The four will appear in Court from November 25 to 27 2019 for defence.
The statement says ACB on September 25 2015, received a complaint alleging that on May 14 2014, the Chief Immigration Officer granted Malawi Citizenship to Rwandan nationals using a file belonging to another foreign national.
Few months ago, the United States barred Mussa and his wife from entering the country saying he has corruption charges on his head.
Mathews Kasanda is a journalist who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from University of Malawi (The Polytechnic).
In 2015, Media Institute of Southern Africa awarded him the Best Print Media Education Journalist of the Year accolade.
He joined Times Group Newsroom in September 2019.
