By Burnett Munthali
In a significant crackdown on corruption, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested eight immigration officers and two civilians involved in alleged corrupt practices related to the issuance of passports at the Lilongwe office of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services. The arrests come amid growing concerns about corruption within Malawi’s immigration system.
ACB Acting Director General Hilary Chilomba confirmed the arrests but declined to reveal the identities of those detained. According to Chilomba, investigations by the Immigration department revealed that individuals were paying an additional K200,000 on top of the official K50,000 passport fee to expedite the issuance process. This practice of soliciting and accepting bribes undermines the integrity of the passport issuance system and exploits applicants seeking timely services.
Chilomba disclosed that during the investigation, some of the suspects were found in possession of substantial amounts of cash. Notably, one suspect was found with K2.5 million, which he could not account for. This discovery raises concerns about the scale and depth of the corruption within the immigration office.
Among those arrested is an inspector from the Lilongwe office, indicating that the corruption may involve various levels of the immigration hierarchy. Chilomba noted that the investigation is ongoing and emphasized that the ACB plans to extend its probe to other immigration offices to uncover any similar corrupt practices.
The arrests underscore the ACB’s commitment to tackling corruption within public institutions and restoring trust in the passport issuance process. As investigations continue, the ACB aims to address systemic issues and ensure accountability within the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services.
