ACB moves in prosecuting instructors alleged to have embezzled funds at Mbandila Community Technical College
By: Ivy Tunkete Mwanyongo
Four Instructors at Mbandira Community Technical College in Nkhotakota, who were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) over corruption allegations in April last year, will appear before Nkhotakota Magistrate Court on March 7th and 8th this year.
This follows the postponement of the hearing of the case by First Grade Magistrate Felix Phayiya Wednesday this week when the four appeared before the court to answer their charges.
The four, Mike Maseya, Jomo Chimfomboti, Alinafe Wane and Edson are among others accused of misusing funds which were meant for procurement of learning materials at the college.
In April last year, the Anti- Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested four instructors at Mbandira Community Technical College in Nkhotakota following a complaint that the bureau received, alleging that some instructors procured learning materials worth 3.5 million Kwacha instead of the budgeted 10 million Kwacha.
The ACB conducted investigations which established that the suspects Mike Maseya, Jomo Chifomboti, Alinafe Wane and Edson Kaudzu procured learning materials worth 3.5 million Kwacha and shared the remaining 6.5 million Kwacha among themselves.
On Wednesday this week the four being represented by Lawyer Sylvester Ayuba James appeared before Nkhotakota First Grade Magistrate Court, where state witnesses were being cross examined, on the matter.
However, amid the cross examination of witnesses on the matter, the ACB also arrested Martin Mponda of Malasa village in the area of Senior Chief Malengachanzi in the district, who is alleged of intimidating two state witnesses as he threatened to kill and burn their houses.
“I have removed the two on this forum so that they can create their own. I’am Martin Mponda writing this, someone will die, tell each other that you are disturbing the operations of this school here in Nkhotakota”, reads part of the text Umunthu FM has in possession.
Appearing before court Thursday, Mponda who pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him, was among others charged with posing threat to human lives.
Meanwhile, Mponda has been given court bail on grounds that he pays 3 hundred-thousand-kwacha cash surety bond, provide two sureties of none cash bond of 5 hundred thousand kwacha each, adding that he should be reporting to Nkhotakota Police Station once in a week.
The case involving the four instructors has since been adjourned to March 7th and 8th this year, while Mponda will appear in court on September 9th this year.
