MHRC demands prosecution of Covid-19 funds abusers
Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has demanded prosecution of people that abused K6.2 billion Covid-19 funds.
“Where the audit finds that funds were abused in the expenditure of the K6.2 billion, the commission demands the expeditious prosecution of all culprits as per the laws of Malawi,” reads, in part, a statement MHRC issued yesterday.
The commission categorically says the abuse is unacceptable and a cause for great concern.
In the statement signed by the commission’s executive secretary Habiba Osman, the governance institution says it was pleasing to note that President Lazarus Chakwera had recently addressed this pertinent matter by issuing orders to controlling officers or cluster heads to account for the funds.
“The commission supports this stance which the President has taken. However, the commission strongly calls on government to expeditiously act on the questions and concerns that have arisen and continue to arise on the K6.2 billion government released for the Covid-19 fight.
“The commission looks forward to thorough and timely findings of such accounts and the decisive actions that shall be taken when irregularities are found,” the statement reads, in part.
The commission further demands that every kwacha of those funds be transparently accounted for to the public without delay.
“This will restore trust and confidence in the public on how the funds were expended and how the remaining funds will be used to fight the virus which has already caused a great number of fatalities in the country, particularly, for those working in the frontlines,” adds the statement.
The commission further demands that government should conduct a thorough and transparent audit of the K6.2 billion to ensure rights were not and are not being unnecessarily violated due to abuse of public funds released for the sole purpose of fighting Covid-19 and thus saving lives.
It is transpiring that the K6.2 billion government released last August was abused by public servants by paying themselves unjustifiable allowances, failing to buy equipment meant to fight the pandemic and inflating prices of items sourced
