Malawi's Graft Busters Nab Police Officer, Village Chief
The two arrested men now face charges under the Corrupt Practices Act.
LILONGWE, Malawi - Malawi's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has made two arrests in its ongoing efforts to combat public-sector graft and abuse of office, writes Winston Mwale.
On March 12th, investigators took into custody Von Martin Banda, a police officer formerly stationed in Chilumba but recently transferred to Mzuzu, as well as Eliya Mwafulirwa, a village headman from Karonga district.
The arrests follow a probe into allegations that the pair conspired to solicit a bribe of two bulls from a local man, Moses Nyondo.
The payment was demanded in exchange for facilitating the release of Nyondo's son, Dickson, who had been held on charges of malicious damage to property.
According to the ACB's findings, Mwafulirwa first requested the cattle from the elder Nyondo as a quid pro quo to secure his son's release on police bail and have the criminal case discontinued entirely.
The village chief then passed on a share of K50,000 to officer Banda to carry out those instructions at Chilumba police unit.
Banda, the investigation further revealed, went on to demand and receive an additional K30,000 bribe to grant bail to three other individuals - Washington Mwafulirwa, Stocker Mwafulirwa and Nelson Kalua - who were also being detained in relation to the same case involving Dickson Nyondo.
The two arrested men now face charges under the Corrupt Practices Act.
Eliya Mwafulirwa stands accused of "corrupt practices with a public officer", while Von Martin Banda will be prosecuted for the more severe charges of "corrupt practices by a public officer" as well as "abuse of public office."