Africa-Press – Malawi. Following Malawi Institute of Management (MIM)’s board suspended three top managers including Samson Sikelo, Collins Mayeso Jambo and Catherine Mselumu, serious public office abuses details have been uncovered.
The trio’s suspension followed media investigation into the expenditure of over MK20 million for a conference with ‘artificial’ participants in December 2021 which was presided over by Vice President Saulos Chilima.
Board Chairperson Lewis Dzimbiri confirmed suspending of Acting Executive Director Sikelo Phiri, acting Director of Training and Consultancy Jambo and acting Director of Finance Mselemu to the over a month until the institution’s make a determination.
However, apart from MK20 million allowance scam, the trio have been abusing their offices despite not confirmed on the positions. This publication has uncovered how the trio abused their offices to meet personal interests than of the institution.
For instance, Sikeko, suspected Acting Director in May 2022 he got MK1, 500,000 (one and half million kwacha) loan from MIM account which up to now is not being deducted.
“On the day he took the loan he instructed Accounts Officers not to deduct him from his salary but up to now he has not made any commitment to repay this loan. Is this not stealing from the institution by a public officer?
“In April 2022 he received MK207, 600.00 in allowances to go to Salima but he did not go there. He did not refund the money even after being reminded to do so. This month a few days before receiving his suspension letter he received MK382, 375.00 in allowances saying he is going to Mzuzu to market the CEO’s Retreat. He did not go since he was disturbed by his suspension. He has not made any committal to repay the allowance,” reads part of the MIM management report to board, Comptroller of Statutory Corporation and Ombudsman.
It adds, “There are several such allowance of which he was just getting from MIM but he was not going to the field as claimed. Almost every week he was travelling and claiming money from MIM at certain instances he was even claiming for more days than the number of days per week (he was doubling allowances). Such issues may require forensic audit“.
On Jambo, the reports discloses that a few days before his suspension he got MK346, 250.00 in allowances saying he was going to Mzuzu to market the CEO’s Retreat.
“Mr Jambo did not go since he was disturbed by the suspension. He has never made any commitment to refund the money. This again is stealing from the institution by a public officer? Like his colleague Mr. Sikelo Phiri, almost every week he was travelling and claiming money from MIM at certain instances he was even claiming for more days than the number of days per week (he was doubling allowances).
“Mr Jambo was demanding allowances on field trips of which he was not even going. Such issues may require forensic audit. These two had a policy that whosoever is making a request to go out for a field trip (whether training or consultancy) MUST include them on the request; failure to which they will not approve it and this was actually happening,” reads the report.
It added further, “On 25th March 2022, Mr. Collins Jambo made an accident at Lauji Village along the Blantyre – Chikwawa road. He was driving MIM vehicle number CA 6698. He did not officially report the matter to MIM. This has now been revealed by a phone call that a Mr. Eric Kambeta from CIC General Insurance Company called MIM following up on the claims for the accident. He said Mr. Jambo was not cooperative to resolve the matter.
“Such conduct or behavior by a senior officer at a public institution warrants disciplinary action and the officer must be responsible to pay for all the accident costs being claimed. Contact Mr. Eric Kambeta at CIC General Insurance Company to find out how much is being claimed“.
On Mselemu the reports says, “In April 2022 she received MK165, 000.00 in allowances. Mselemu was supposed to go to salima but she did not go. Until now she has never refunded the money. As a Finance Manager she was also deleting loans for her fellow executive management from the system, that is why these people were able to get a loan from MIM but they were not repaying”.
When contacted the trio, refused to comment further on matter but only accused the board of making error on appointing Dr. Jessie Kabwira as Acting Executive Director of MIM.
Meanwhile, Simbani the Comptroller of Statutory Corporation confirmed receiving the detailed report on how the trio abused office hence the suspension apart from MK20 million allowance scam.
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