On 26th March 2024, the High Court in Lilongwe sentenced Gerald Viola and Chrispin Chingola to twenty-four-month custodial sentence for corrupt practices. The two were given suspended sentences on 27th February 2023 after the Principal Resident Magistrate Court convicted them on 20th February 2023.The Bureau was dissatisfied with the decision of the Principal Resident Magistrate and lodged an appeal against the sentence in the High Court.
Gerald Viola, former Deputy Chief Executive Officer at National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) and Chrispin Chingola, a businessperson, were arrested in 2020 for suspected corrupt practices in the award of a contract to Missies Trading to supply 10,000 metric tons of maize worth MK 3,300,000,000.00.
• Mr. Gerald Viola was convicted for abuse of office, contrary to Sections 25B (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act.
•Mr. Chrispin Chingola was convicted for influencing a public officer to misuse a public office contrary to Section 25 B (2) of the Corrupt Practices Act.
The two have since been taken into custody and will serve their sentences from 26th March 2024, the date of the sentence.
EGRITA M. NDALA
PRINCIPAL PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FOR: DIRECTOR GENERAL
