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The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Mongu has arrested and charged Dr. Neto Mbwayu, District Health Director for Kalabo District in Western Province, for corruption involving K43,000.
Mbwayu, 42, of Winela area in Kalabo, has been charged with two counts of willful failure to comply with procurement guidelines, contrary to Section 34(2)(b), as read with Section 41 of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.
ACC Head of Corporate Communications, Timothy Moono, confirmed the arrest in a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday.
Mbwayu has also been charged with one count of making a payment from public revenue for services not adequately rendered, contrary to Section 34(2)(a)(ii) of the same Act.
Investigations revealed that between January 1, 2021, and December 30, 2022, Mbwayu, in his capacity as District Health Director at Kalabo District Health Office, willfully failed to comply with Ministry of Health procurement guidelines.
“This is on January 2, 2020 when he approved a payment of K39,000 to a named company for the purchase of two HP Pavilion laptops—an amount above his approval threshold of K30,000,” Moono said.
He added that Mbwayu also approved the purchase without a written request from the User Department.
Moono further revealed that Mbwayu authorized a payment of K4,000 from public revenue for upholstery of an office motor vehicle seat, a service that was not adequately rendered.
Meanwhile, in Mansa, the ACC has also arrested and charged Jackson Kaunda, 43, a former Mansa District Hospital Administrator, with three counts of participating as a bidder in public procurement of a procuring entity.
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“Mr. Kaunda was employed as a public officer, contrary to Section 73(1), as read with Section 77(1)(a) of the Public Procurement Act No. 12 of 2008,” Moono said.
He explained that Kaunda allowed JK Kellies General Dealers, a business in which he was a partner, to supply goods and services to Mansa District Hospital while serving as Hospital Administrator.
Kaunda, of Musenga Site and Service in Mansa, is alleged to have, on three occasions between February 1 and May 30, 2022, allowed the company to supply stationery worth K10,000, cleaning materials valued at K9,950, and service photocopiers at a cost of K1,000 to the hospital.
“Both Mbwayu and Kaunda have since been released on bond and will appear in court soon,” Moono said.
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