Barely a few days after the Attorney General ( AG ) Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda revealed that the government would institute investigations into how s o m e S t a t e – owned enterprises were disposed of, a case concerning the disposal of Shire Bus Lines Ltd has commenced in Blantyre.
In the announcement, the AG said government wants to reclaim firms that were liquidated illegally as well as take civil or criminal action against public officers involved in the liquidation process.
Impeccable sources told Shire Times that on Tuesday, Nyirenda appeared before Honourable Justice Jabber Alide attending to a case of Shire Bus Lines Ltd.
“Government is in a drive to recover looted money back into the public purse. Today, the Attorney General was in Court sitting at Blantyre before Honourable Justice Jabber Alide, attending to a case, namely, National Bus Service v Liquidator of Shire Bus Lines Ltd and Attorney General.
“The case concerns ownership of the Bus depots and workshops formally owned by Shire Bus Lines Limited. This made it impossible for him to be present at Parliament today. The case is one of several where govt [government] is trying to recover back assets that were looted,” said the source.
In 2006, government instructed Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC), then Privatisation Commission, to liquidate all MDC interests before liquidating its assets due to poor performance.
In 2007, government also liquidated Shire Bus Lines after inviting private sector players to partner it with then Malawi National Bus Company.
Besides the two entities, the AG office is considering extending its probe into the sale of the defunct Malawi Savings Bank (MSB) sold off to FDH Bank at K9.5 billion in July 2015.
Shire Times understands that the AG was caught between two equally important engagements yesterday as he was also supposed to appear before the Public Appointments Committee of Parliament (PAC) to discuss issues bordering on laws that guide operations of Statutory Corporations.
PAC Chairperson Joyce Chitsulo told local media that the AG will be summoned again next week.
