Immigration Officer Nabbed Over Corruption

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Immigration Officer Paul Lada for demanding and receiving K1 million from a Cameroonian national who was convicted by a court in Malawi after trying to obtain a Malawian passport.

ACB Principal Public Relations Officer Egrita Ndala said the arrest came after the ACB received a complaint on 11th November, 2021.

On 28 October, 2021, Ernest Balti, who is Cameroonian national but a resident of South Africa, went to the Regional Immigration North office where he presented a National ID card and asked to be issued with a Malawian passport.

Mzuzu Immigration Officers arrested Balti and on 1st November Mzuzu Magistrate Court sentenced him to a fine of K1,225,000.00 and thereafter be deported to South Africa.

The complaint ACB received alleged that some Immigration Officers in Mzuzu had solicited K1,000,000.00 from Mr. Ernest Balti to facilitate his deportation process to South Africa.

On Friday 12th November 2021, the Bureau in conjunction with Officers from Mzuzu Police arrested Paul Lada, an Assistant Superintendent, for receiving K1,000,000.00 from Saidi Kalimu in relation to Balti’s case.

On 15th November 2021, the Bureau took Paul Lada to court where he was granted bail. He will appear in Court on 26th November, 2021.

Ironically, Lada was the Immigration Prosecutor who represented the state when Balti was on trial at the Mzuzu Magistrate Court.