Fourth state witness in the procurement of a mobile fuel testing van case involving former Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) Chief Executive Officer Collins Magalasi alongside former procurement officer Bright Mbewe has told the Court that the van was never delivered to Mera because the Malawi Police Service was probing issues surrounding its procurement.
Alexander Ganiza, Mera’s Internal Audit and Risk officer told Chief Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa in Lilongwe that all processes regarding procurement of the van were duly instituted and the van arrived in the country but never delivered to Mera.
Another State witness, Director of Finance at Mera Zachariah Ng’oma said the K563.2 million vehicle was procured and tested by the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS).
Commenting on the testimonies, Chief State Legal Advocate Dzikondianthu Malunda said the State is making progress towards winding up prosecution case.
Said Malunda: “Having paraded two witnesses for us I think that’s good progress, and we are now remaining with at least one witness to close the case for the prosecution.”
“The witness that is going to come is a police investigator who is going to wrap up everything that has been done in court already.”
Commenting on the trial, the defence said it is satisfied with the pace at which the trial is progressing and has since maintained that their clients did nothing wrong on procurement of the said vehicle.
“There’s been much progress on the matter and as you saw me is even asking that court that they should give us an earlier date.”
“So then we finish off with all the other witnesses. There is nothing wrong that was done in this particular procurement.
The vehicles procured, everybody got what they wanted and we wondered why the government resources are being wasted and the car is just sat somewhere without being used for its purpose is that that is not right,” said Andy Kaonga, lawyer representing Magalasi.
Magistrate Chirwa has since adjourned hearing of the trial to March 14-15 this year where the State is expected to parade its last witness.
