ACB briefs PAC on forensic audit files

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has told the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) that it will not publicise details of the 10 case files received from the Auditor General and forensic auditors as they were only meant to assist with ongoing investigations into the plunder of government funds.

The PAC delegation comprising chairperson the Reverend Felix Chingota, Bishop Gilford Matonga, executive director Robert Phiri and publicity secretary Father Peter Mulomole met ACB officials yesterday as part of a follow-up of the resolutions from the PAC All-Inclusive Stakeholders Conference held in Blantyre in February during which the delegation wanted answers on progress of Cashgate cases, including details of the perpetrators.

But PAC has hit a blank wall on the resolution to demand names of individuals and companies behind the theft of K13 billion which forensic auditors found was stolen between April and September 2013.

In an interview after the meeting, Phiri said the two-hour meet with the ACB officials led by their director Supreme Court Judge Rezine Mzikamanda informed them that details of the investigations could not be publicised  unless during prosecution when they become public documents.

Mzikamanda said the ACB decided to keep private the case files due to legal technicalities and to avoid jeopardising investigations.

Said Phiri: “The ACB confirmed that it has received the 10 case files from forensic auditors. Some of the files are simply supporting the cases which the ACB are investigating. They told us that until arrests are effected, there are certain details which cannot be revealed at the moment.”

He said following the meeting with various stakeholders, among them British High Commissioner Michael Nevin whose government funded the audit, PAC appreciated the explanations and would compile them in a report to the delegates of the February conference.

Phiri, however, said the ACB officials were not specific on certain issues such as how many cases have been completed for prosecution.

British forensic audit firm, Baker Tilly, observed that there are indications of a final beneficiary and names of  the ‘conduits’ could not be publicised because this would jeopardise catching the beneficiary.

PAC is also expected to meet officials from the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) following concerns of threats to the holding of free and fair elections some presidential candidates raised with the grouping during the presidential interface meetings.