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ACB arrests 5 in connection with K33m fraud

 The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested five people, including officials from Salima District Hospital, for allegedly defrauding the public purse K33.5 million.

In a statement released yesterday, ACB spokesperson Egrita Ndala said their investigations revealed that Salima District Hospital clerk Ahmed Elias Kazembe alongside an official from Human Resource Section connived to maintain on the payroll some employees who left service some years ago.

Ndala: They were drawing salaries illegally

Reads the statement : “The bureau conducted investigations into the allegation and found that Brandina Tamala Chiwaya, who worked as a nurse at Salima District Hospital from 2014 to 2016, continued receiving salary up to 2017.

“Limbani Mateyu, worked as a medical assistant from 2007 to . 2018, received a salary up to  2019

“Chisomo Tumeo, medical technician from 2011 to 2018, received salary up to 2019. Jane Msuku Mwalabu worked as a nurse from 2011 to 2017, but continued receiving salary.”

Ndala said Kazembe, who worked as a clerical officer, allegedly received various sums of money from the people he maintained on the payroll and that K33.5 million was the amount detected through the investigation.

She said the bureau has since arrested Chiwaya, Mateyu and Tumeo and charged them with fraud contrary to Section 319 (A) (c) of the Penal Code and money laundering contrary to Section 42 (1) (c) of the Financial Crimes Act.

Kazembe and Jane Msuku Mwalabu are facing charges of misuse of public office contrary to Section 25B of the Corrupt Practices Act and money laundering contrary to Section 42 (1) (c) of the Financial Crimes Act while Mwalabu will answer charges of fraud contrary to Section 319 (A) (c) of the Penal Code and Section 42 (1) (c) of the Financial Crimes Act.

The arrests in Salima come just months after another salary syndicate was busted at Ntchisi District Council where some officials allegedly put on the payroll non-staff members and gave themselves huge sums of money in salary beyond their entitlement.

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