Former minister of Finance Joseph Mwanamvekha yesterday walked to freedom hours after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested him in connection with multi-billion kwacha procurement contracts at Malawi Prison Service.

Lilongwe senior resident magistrate Wanangwa Nyirenda granted him a court bail following an application by the former Cabinet minister’s lawyer, Mercy Chijere.

In the application, the lawyer said the ACB had concluded its investigations, as such, her client could not interfere with investigations. She also told the court that her client was not a flight risk.

Was granted bail yesterday: Mwanamvekha

Delivering the bail ruling, Nyirenda released Mwanamvenkha on condition that he paid K1 million cash bond, produce two sureties of K10 million non-cash each and report to ACB offices in Blantyre every fortnight.

The magistrate has since set August 22 2022 for Mwanamvekha to be formally charged.

In a statement issued earlier yesterday, ACB principal public relations officer Egrita Ndala said Mwanamvekha’s arrest followed investigations into the alleged abuse of his office by arbitrarily approving $18 374 460 (about K18.4 billion) to Ministry of Homeland Security for the unlawful procurement of MPS uniforms and equipment.

Reads the statement in part: “The ACB recorded an allegation on 16th October, 2020 that the Ministry of Homeland Security suspiciously procured Malawi Prison Service uniforms and equipment from One Guard FZE of United Arab Emirates without following procedures.

“The ACB conducted investigations which established that Mr. Joseph Mwanamvekha abused his office and neglected official duties, by among other things, approving disbursement of funds to  the Ministry of Homeland Security without verifying the urgency and importance of the procurement.”

Mwanamvekha’s arrest comes a month after ACB also arrested former minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi in connection with the same procurement contract.

Ministry of Homeland Security purchased the items that included socks, underwear, steel plates, cups, cuffs, belts and whistles between February 2019 and June 2020.

Mwanamvekha is also answering another abuse of office and false accounting case contrary to Section 335 (A) of the Penal Code following his arrest along former Reserve Bank of Malawi governor Dalitso Kabambe and former Minister of Local Government Ben Phiri in December 2021.

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