Former principal human resources officer at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Daston Tasauka Manda has implicated former first lady Gertrude Mutharika as one of those who was aiding the alleged recruitment of 127 immigration assistants who did not qualify for the role.
Tasauka was testifying in the abuse of office case involving former minister of Homeland Security Cecelia Chazama, former Director General of the Immigration Masauko Medi and others.
Other suspects are Limbani Chawinga, Pudensiana Makalamba and Chandiwira Chidothe who are Immigration Officers.
He told the Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court sitting in Blantyre on Wednesday that during the recruitment exercise of Immigration assistants in 2017, he received list of names from top government and the then ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials Medi for consideration.
He mentioned Chazama, former ministers Joseph Mwanamvekha, Japie Mhango, Francis Katsaila, Nicholas Dausi, Charles Mchacha and Paul Chibingu and former presidential press Secretary Mgeme Kalirani as those who provided names of those to be employed.
In May 2022, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Chazama, Medi and others over the questionable recruitment exercise.
ACB Principal Public Relations Officer, Egrita Ndala said the bureau received a complaint that the Immigration Department in 2018 had recruited 210 immigration assistants who didn’t have the necessary qualifications.
However, the Bureau’s investigation established that the department recruited 127 immigration assistants who were not qualified.
