BY CHRISSIE NKOLOMA
Principle State Witness Hellen Buluma, while finalizing her testimony on Thursday afternoon in a case involving former Minister of Energy Newton Kambala, AFORD President Enoch Chihana and former State House Chief Advisor on strategy Chris Chaima Banda in which the three are accused of trying to influence the awarding of fuel contracts at NOCMA, revealed that Kambala offered her 500 000 US dollars if she delivered on making Finergy, Orex and Tranfigura win the fuel supply tender.
Buluma,claimed in her submssion that she also has recordings of the meetings she had with the former Energy Minister Newton Kambala and Chris Chaima Banda which is ready to present before the court.
She told the court that former state house Advisor Chris Chaima invited her to a meeting at Kang’ombe house where he told her that he was a link man in the deal and that he was so close to the President.
She further said, at another meeting with Kambala she was promised 500 thousand dollars if she delivered on giving 40 000 metric tons of the advertised volume to Finergy company and also include Transfigura and Orex on the list to benefit from the deal.
She told the court, Kambala told her the money would help her family, an offer she declined according to her.
Buluma told the court that she was warned that failure to do what she was asked would lead to her firing.
Lilongwe Chief Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa has however adjourned the case to tommorow morning.
Speaking on behalf of the State ACB Director General Martha Chizuma said they are impressed with the proceedings of the case.
On his part one of the defence Lawyers,George Thuka Mwale says they will talk more about the case after cross-examining the principal witness.
Kambala and the two others were arrested in the country’s capital, Lilongwe, on corruption-related charges last year.
The arrests followed investigations into the involvement of Kambala and the two other officials in the award of fuel supply contracts at the state-run National Oil Company of Malawi.
Malawi’s president consequently sacked the minister for his failure to adhere to Tonse Alliance philosophy.
