IMF disturbed by corruption reports

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) representative in Malawi said on Monday that the lending agency was disturbed by reports of fraud involving senior government officials.

“We really hope government will act on these cases. Otherwise, donors will wonder whether it is really necessary at all to put money to this country knowing it will end up in individual people’s pockets. It is very disturbing,” IMF resident representative Thomas Gibson was quoted as saying. The Public Accounts Committee said last week that a group of cabinet ministers, senior civil servants and members of parliament had benefited from the misuse of government funds.

Malawi’s Anti-Corruption Bureau last week arrested two people whose companies allegedly received money from the education ministry for services not rendered or completed. “We are happy that the Anti-Corruption Bureau has quickly started acting and we hope the government will be committed to good governance and effect justice if people and donors are to have confidence in them,” Gibson said.