K2.7 billion food rations case back to court Thursday
By Audrey Kapalamula:
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is expected to make an application to Lilongwe Magistrate Court Thursday to have the K2.7 billion Malawi Police Service food rations case committed to the High Court.
ACB arrested Commissioner of Police Innocent Bottoman, Zameer Karim of Pioneer Investments and Grant Kachingwe last month in relation to the case.
ACB Director General, Reyneck Matemba, on Monday said they want the matter committed to the High Court considering the money involved and charges levelled against the accused persons.
“Obviously, this is not a small case. It involves quite huge sums of money and, apart from that, we have also noted that this case has generated public interest. It’s not that we have reservations with the magistrates’ court. They are doing a tremendous job in this country but, with the money involved and nature of charges, we thought it prudent that this matter should be tried at the High Court,” he said.
Matemba said they have obtained a certificate of committal from the Director of Public Prosecutions and waits for the court to formally commit the case to the High Court for trial.
Karim is answering charges of theft in line with Section 271 of the penal code, uttering a false document as stipulated in Section 360 of the penal code and acquiring proceeds of crime in line with section 42(1) (C) of the financial Crimes Act.
Botoman is charged with uttering a false document, abuse of office and acquiring proceeds of crime contrary to section 360 of the penal code, 25(1) of corrupt practices and Section 42(1) (C) of the Financial Crimes Act.
Kachingwe is charged with forging documents in order to help Pioneer Investments obtain a bank loan.
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