By Priscilla Phiri

Lilongwe, Mana: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Councilors for Kaporo, Rukuru and Chilanga wards in Karonga district council for illegal and unprocedurally selling of public land.

According to a press statement releases by the Principal Public Relations Officer Egrita Ndala, on September 13, the ACB had been investigating the three following complaints regarding the misconduct which it received on February 20, 2020.

The statement highlights that investigations established that the Councilors in or around October 2019, received K2.4M worth of money from Karonga market vendors with the view to allocate them spaces of land without the knowledge of the council. 

On September 13, the ACB arrested Ngasalayumo Mwangonde Councilor for Kaporo ward, Smart Kayira Councilor for Rukuru ward and Steve Simsokwe Councilor for Chilanga ward, reads the statement in part.

The statement further states that the three will be taken to Court after the Bureau interviews them and are likely to be charged with abuse of office contrary to Section 25B (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act and fraud other than false pretense contrary to Section 319 A of the Penal Code.

Recently, the Minister of Lands Sam Dalitso Kawale  in his message during the 20- week anti-corruption campaign, lamented that the ministry has experienced unfortunate circumstances by people of influence in regards to corruption which has placed citizens at a disadvantage.

“We have seen people of influence being able to use their money and positions to acquire land or property to the disadvantage of citizens who have the legitimate institutional right to acquire such land and houses,

In the end we have a large number of people owning massive number of land and the other without a single plot to develop,” he said.

He further emphasized that the Ministry is committed to end corruption by amending some of the laws in the Ministry to ensure Malawians have access to land, property and development services that they deserve.

“ We cannot continue to tolerate corruption and we have put strategies that limit the number of properties an individual can have in so doing eliminating political and monetary influence,” said Kawale.

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