Nocma suspends CEO,director for alleged fraud
State-owned National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) has suspended chief executive officer (CEO) Gift Dulla and director of finance (DoF) Richard Milanzi to pave the way for investigations into alleged financial and procurement mismanagement at the entity.
In a memo to Nocma staff, the company’s human resource and administration manager said Dulla and Milanzie were suspended pending disciplinary proceedings.
Reads the memo in part: “Management would like to notify all staff members of the board of directors’ decision effective 29th October 2020 to suspend the chief executive officer Mr. Gift Dulla and the director of finance Mr. Richard Milanzie for a period of fourteen [14] days pending investigations and a disciplinary hearing into financial and procurement mismanagement.”
But the communication did not highlight the allegations against the duo.
The Nocma board has since appointed deputy CEO Hellen Buluma as acting CEO with Dingiswayo Sambo as acting DoF.
In an interview yesterday, Nocma public relations of f i cer Tel ephorous Chigwenembe confirmed the suspension of the officials, but referred us to the board for finer details.
Comptroller of Statutory Corporations Nwazi Mnthambala could not be reached for comment on specific allegations against the duo.
Dulla, on the other hand, refused to comment on the matter yesterday. He referred our questions to Nocma Public Relations Office while Milanzie could not be reached on his phone.
“I would prefer not to comment on the matter. Please speak to the PRO Mr. Chigwenembe,” said Dulla.
The dev e l opmen t comes amid a spate of investigations into alleged plunder of various State enterprises during the era of the voted out Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Since President Lazarus
Chakwera and the nine- political party Tonse Alliance triumphed in the court-sanctioned June 23 fresh presidential election, scores of officials from several public agencies have been arrested by Fiscal Police and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for alleged abuse of office, resources and power. Chakwera and the nine-
Nocma Limited is wholly-owned by the Government of Malawi and was formed in line with the National Energy Policy of January 2003, but was registered on December 14 2010 under the Companies Act of 1984.
The strategic company i s i n v o l ved in fuel importation, storage at strategic fuel reserves and distribution nationwide. It is complemented by Petroleum Importers Limited, a consortium of private sector petroleum trading companies.
