By Chisomo Phiri
State witness in the abuse of office case involving former minister of Homeland Security Cecelia Chazama and five others, has implicated some Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) senior officials for aiding the alleged irregular recruitment of immigration assistants.
The witness Daston Tasauka Manda, who is a former principal human resources officer at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, told the Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court in Blantyre on Wednesday that during the recruitment exercise of Immigration assistants in 2017, he received list of names from some DPP officials through former Immigration director general Masauko Medi for consideration.
He said among some DPP officials that allegedly submitted the names include, Chazama, former ministers Joseph Mwanamvekha, Japie Mhango, Francis Katsaila, Nicholas Dausi, Charles Mchacha and Paul Chibingu.
“I received some names through the office of Director General from Hon Paul Chibingu, Mgeme Kalirani, Hon Dausi, Hon Mwanamveka, Mr Malefula, and Mr Thole,” Manda said.
He further told the court that besides the DPP officials, through Medi, he also received list of names from State House, including from former First Lady Gertrude Mutharika and former presidential press Secretary Mgeme Kalirani.
In May 2022, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Chazama, Medi and others over the questionable recruitment exercise.
ACB Principal Public Relations Officer, Egrita Ndala said the bureau received a complaint that the Immigration Department in 2018 had recruited 210 immigration assistants who didn’t have the necessary qualifications.
However, the Bureau’s investigation established that the department recruited 127 immigration assistants who were not qualified.
