The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested businessman Abdul Karim Batatawala and Fletcher Nyirenda of Immigration Department over corruption.
According to a statement signed by ACB spokesperson Egrita Ndala, the business mogul of Asian origin and his accomplice have been netted in relation to suspected corrupt practices involving multi-billion-Kwacha procurement contracts for uniforms and other accessories at the immigration.
Martha Chizuma, ACB Director General says the offences were committed between 2009 and 2012.
ACB’s investigations suggest that Batatawala may have hidden some of the proceeds in offshore accounts.
Earlier this year Batatawala’s Reliance Trading Company was allegedly caught again in a K167.8 million audit scam where it reportedly was involved in questionable Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST) deals which led to the loss of millions of Kwacha in the facemasks’ procurement deal.
In a related development ACB has arrested Cassius Chiwambo in relation to alleged corrupt practices in procurement of MAREP 9 materials which ironically was stopped but proceeded with the procurement.
