Senior Resident Magistrate Florence Msekandiana has adjourned to 11 January 2022, a case involving four Foundation for Irrigation and Sustainable Development (FISD) Directors who are facing fraud charges.
On Tuesday the State paraded its second witness, Kondwani Msowoya who is Project coordinator for the Sustainable Rural Water, Sanitation infrastructure for improved Health and Livelihood Project.
Msowoya who told the court that he personally considered the double payment made to FISD as an error from the African Development Bank, also doubted any criminal intentions in the transactions.
He said the matter became an issue when some numbers on the payment documents from the ministry of Agriculture were altered.
According to Msowoya, Ministry of Agriculture was responsible for sending payment documents.
Later speaking to MIJ Online, Pirirani Masanjala Senior State Advocate said the State plans to parade seven witnesses in the case.
The four FISD Directors namely; Moses Chirambo, Frank Mwenechanya, Kondwani Nanchukwa and Arthur Mpama are facing charges of money laundering, conspiracy to commit a felony and fraud.
It is alleged that the four directors received a double payment from the African Development Bank, government’s partner in the project they were contracted to undertake.
The ministry had awarded the company a K2.4 billion contract to construct, rehabilitate and expand gravity-fed water supply systems in Ntcheu District.