The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday arrested two individuals in connection with a 2020 procurement fraud investigation.

Alinafe Banda Maliwasa, a former procurement officer at the Malawi Parliament and Grace Kusani, owner of Divine Excellence, face multiple charges, including corruption, abuse of office, neglect of official duty, and uttering false documents.  

According to the ACB, Maliwasa allegedly abused her position by instructing staff to sign delivery notes before goods were received—a direct violation of procurement regulations. 

Kusani is accused of submitting forged quotations from companies, including Allu-Tech Aluminium System and Carports Kings International, to fraudulently secure contracts.  

"The Bureau has gathered sufficient evidence to prosecute this case," said Jacqueline Ngongonda, ACB Senior Public Relations Officer. "The suspects will be taken to court soon for formal charging."  

The accused are likely to face charges under Section 25A of the Corrupt Practices Act for corruption by public officers, Section 25B(1) for abuse of office, Section 121 of the Penal Code for neglect of official duty, and Section 360 of the Penal Code for uttering false documents.  

Willy Kambwandira, Executive Director of the Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency (CSAT), emphasized the need for prompt action. 

“Corruption cases must be prosecuted without delay to restore public trust in governance systems," he said.  

ACB has since reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing corruption cases to their conclusion.  

Investigations further reveal that Maliwasa allegedly authorized Local Purchase Orders (LPOs) to facilitate improper payments to suppliers.  

The case is expected to proceed to court in the coming days.