Ex-Anti-Corruption Bureau Director Alex Nampota gets over K70 million pay-off

Former Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director Alex Nampota has received over K70 million from the government as compensation for his removal from office before the expiry of his contract.

Capital Hill sources confirmed the amount to this paper on Monday. And that my friends is a lot of money for compensating someone who didn’t not deliver to the expectations of the nation.

They said Nampota’s lawyers made several demands from the government before they settled for the compensation of over K70 million.

“Everything is shrouded in secrecy. Only a few people were part to the discussion and these include the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Ralph Kasambara, Solicitor General Anthony Kamanga and Chief Secretary to government Bright Msaka,” said one source.

Kamanga, in a separate interview, could neither confirm nor deny the figure, saying there is a mutual agreement between the government and Nampota’s lawyers not to disclose the amount.

When told that taxpayers have a right to know since it is their money that is paying Nampota’s compensation, Kamanga insisted the two parties had agreed they would not make any comments about the matter.

“There were some issues and the two parties [government and Nampota] mutually agreed that the position of director at ACB be vacated. We have an arrangement where we said we should not make any comments. It’s not in the interest of either party to open up debate on this,” he said.

Nampota himself said he could not disclose the figure, putting it instead on the government which should disclose the amount to the public.

“Ask the government. I am not an active player on this; I am on the receiving end. It’s the government which should talk.

“I want to move on with life. Everybody knows that I was mistreated,” said Nampota.

Nampota said since he is no longer the ACB Director, he should fade away from public debate and the focus should go to the incumbent director, Judge Rezine Mzikamanda.

“ACB has a new director, let’s focus on him, let us wish him well, let us support him,” said Nampota.

Nampota was forced out of office about three months after President Joyce Banda became president in April following the death of former head of state Bingu wa Mutharika.

He was first arrested in June for allegedly pocketing allowances for a foreign trip that he did not undertake.

Nampota fought back that claim, arguing he did go on the trip which had been shifted to a later date.

Government eventually forced him out of office.

He later dragged it to court, arguing his firing would be incomplete without following Parliament procedures through which the ACB director is appointed.

The two parties eventually resorted to an out-of- court settlement whose deliberations have been wrapped in secrecy.

Since Banda assumed the presidency in April, government has removed several other officials.

They include the then Reserve Bank governor Perks Ligoya, Clerk of Parliament Matilda Katopola, Inspector General of Police Peter Mukhitho, Secretary to the Treasury Joseph Mwanamvekha and Malawi Revenue Authority Commissioner General Lloyd Muhara.

Chief Immigration Officer Elvis Thodi was also booted out about two months before the expiry of his contract.