According to Nyasa Times, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has cancelled a recruitment exercise at the National Audit Office (NAO) following allegations of bribery and leaked examination materials. ACB Acting Director General Gabriel Chembezi directed the NAO to restart the hiring process for auditor positions after investigators discovered that test papers were shared in an internal WhatsApp group and a senior official allegedly received a bribe from an applicant.
In a constitutional dispute, Attorney General Frank Mbeta has assumed legal representation for Parliament and Speaker Sameer Suleman in a High Court case reviewing the legality of 12 newly formed parliamentary joint committees. According to Nation Online, the Speaker's Office distanced itself from the intervention, stating it was never consulted before Mbeta replaced their private lawyer. Mbeta argues that the formation of the committees was unlawful because it excluded the President, while Suleman insists on preserving parliamentary oversight powers.
The rift between the Executive and Legislature has deepened, with government spokesperson Shadric Namalomba challenging Speaker Suleman to submit evidence of alleged public sector corruption to the ACB or police. As reported by Malawi Cables Online, Suleman pushed back against the seven-day deadline, stating that government spokespersons lack the authority to issue evidence ultimatums and maintaining that he will present his evidence through the appropriate investigative channels.
The Industrial Relations Court has ordered the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) to pay former deputy finance director Elvin Mwapasa K691.7 million in compensation for unfair dismissal, Nation Online reports. The ruling follows recent legal setbacks for Macra, as the court also determined that 16 other employees terminated during a human resources audit were dismissed unfairly without formal charges or hearings.
Update: Former Malawi Defence Force Commander General Paul Valentino Phiri has been granted bail on a K10 million cash bond ahead of his November trial, according to Nation Online. Phiri faces ACB charges for allegedly misusing his office to facilitate military equipment procurement for Sudanese rebels. In separate court news, the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) has begun paying a court-ordered K495 million compensation package to 110 former employees who were retrenched through unfair labor practices.