Police suspect ‘inside job’ in MRA computer robbery
Police have said the four watchmen, who were arrested in connection with the theft of nine computers at the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) head office in Blantyre two weeks ago, are still on remand at Chichiri Prison as they are suspected to have connived with some members of staff at the tax collecting body.
Eight desktop computers, one laptop, seven keyboards and a few litres of diesel from a genset were stolen on the night of May 19 and the four watchmen are the ones who were on duty that night.
While insisting that investigations are ongoing, National Deputy Police spokesperson Nicholas Gondwa said the guards are being interrogated so that they can provide more information that can lead to the identification of real culprits.
Gondwa said apart from the guards, no other person has been arrested so far. It appears it was an internal arrangement to break and steal these things. We suspect the watchmen connived with some other senior staff working within the system. So, we got hold of these watchmen to get proof from them,” Gondwa said.
He said the speculations that the stolen computers had information connected to other shoddy dealings may not be true as the offices that were broken into deal with small and medium taxation.
“People were speculating that maybe it concerns some Cashgate issues or information, but that is not the case because the office that was broken into deals with small and medium taxation. The issues or transactions that may be connected to Cashgate are done in other offices and not in the robbed offices,” he said.
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