BT council blames police for Admarc racket
A full Blantyre District Council meeting on Wednesday blamed police for the problems buyers are experiencing at Admarc depots.
At a meeting, some attendees fired questions to the officer-in-charge (OC) for Lunzu, Charles Sandram, who was also representing OC for Chileka.
Blantyre Rural East parliamentarian Suzan Ndalama said buyers were robbed in broad daylight by Admarc staff even in centres where police were present.
“In some depots, sellers put scales where buyers fail to see the readings. Buyers are made to pay money and just get maize, without seeing its weight. They are not given a chance to complain or question the kilogrammes given against the money they are paying for,” said Ndalama.
Mudi Ward Joy Jalani said they were not assisted by the police when they requested for their presence at rural Admarc sales points.
“The police are refusing to assist us in patrolling our Admarc depots. They tell us they cannot come because it is too far,” said Jalani.
Councillor Tawanda Tambula of Lunzu Ward asked the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials who were present if they were investigating Admarc, since several allegations of corruption were made against them.
Blantyre district commissioner (DC) Charles Kalemba said he believes the police were not doing their job when it comes to conduct of Admarc staff.
“Had the police been arresting Admarc staff involved in fraud, by now we would not be receiving complaints. Someone needs to learn from their colleagues if we are to address these problems,” said Kalemba.
Sandram said it was sad that people are crying and the police were not doing anything.
“We have not been everywhere because we have transport challenges as we have one vehicle which we share with Chileka Police,” he explained. n
It is sad that the Anti-Corruption Bureau has not even arrested one Admarc official the whole Malawi since buyers complained about the racket going on between Admarc officials and vendors.
We have said it that ACB is a very weak institution to fight corruption. They have not visited Admarc depot to pounce on these corrupt officials. For me the role of the police is to ensure that people access the maize without problems such as ensuring everyone stands in a queue. But ACB should have have ensured that vendors and Admarc officials are not involved in corrupt activities. Do you think vendors buy many bags for nothing? Money exchange hands.