DPP warns Anti-Corruption Bureau on Peter Mutharika
By Wezzie Gausi:
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has accused the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of harassing former president Peter Mutharika.
However, ACB Director General Martha Chizuma Monday hit back at the erstwhile governing party, asking it to refrain from intimidating law enforcement agencies.
In a statement which party spokesperson Shadreck Namalomba released Monday, DPP claims that the graft-busting body has, in the past 12 months, targeted Mutharika by, among other things, freezing his bank accounts.
“We are not against the ACB but we are saying let them do their job professionally. Mutharika has never objected to being questioned but the process has to follow the right procedure. People may recall that, recently, the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) also interviewed APM and we, as a party, never objected.
“If ACB wants Malawians to take it seriously in fighting corruption, it must do so by dealing with rampant corruption which is going on in the current government at the moment,” Namalomba said.
Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament Chairperson Peter Dimba concurred with Mkandawire, saying laws of Malawi were clear on the roles and duties of the ACB.
“It is absurd to note that, in this age and era, DPP is failing to understand the duties of ACB. The DPP should not interfere in matters of national interest,” he said.
On her part, Chizuma said they have been engaging Mutharika professionally.
“ACB will not cower to any threat, any intimidation regardless of its sort. We will continue doing our job within our mandate.
“Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices Act gives us the power to book any person who is an obstruction to our work. So, we will not hesitate to take this root if need be on issues within our mandate,” Chizuma said.
