Information reaching this publication indicates that Sheriffs have impounded two Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) vehicles and seized a fixed asset register to force the grain marketer to honor the court ruling of paying K25.5 billion in compensation to 3,282 retrenched workers.

Acting on behalf of the former workers, the sheriffs stormed the ADMARC head office in Blantyre and the Mzuzu regional office on Tuesday, where they sealed offices before taking action.

One of the ex-workers and lead applicant in the case, Alex Malikebu, said this followed the expiry of the 14-day deadline on Monday, January 6, 2025, given by the High Court for the Corporation to pay K12.5 billion before granting a stay order.

Malikebu added that the sheriffs have warned the management that they would sell all assets if the corporation continues to defy the remittance order within the next seven days.

Meanwhile, ADMARC officials were not immediately available for comment.

In January 2024, the Industrial Relations Court (IRC) ordered ADMARC to compensate the laid-off staff, but the state grain marketer appealed the directive, which the High Court upheld two weeks ago, dismissing the appeal.

Source: Zodiak Online