The Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court in Lilongwe has acquitted former Roads Authority chief executive officer Trevor Hiwa who was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in 2017 on charges of abuse of office and failure to declare interest.

Hiwa was accused to have recommended Infracon Limited to be awarded a World Bank contract worth $303,823 for the design and supervision of various road construction projects in the central and southern regions of Malawi without the approval of Internal Procurement Committee and without declaring interest that the company belonged to his family.

The court earlier cleared Hiwa on a charge of failure to declare interest, remaining with the charge of abuse of office.

However Judge Violet Chipao, sitting as chief resident magistrate, has also acquitted Hiwa on the charge of abuse of office.

Hiwa’s lawyer Khumbo Soko confirmed the acquittal adding the court did not find any evidence that Hiwa was the one that recommended Infracon for the contract.

Source:NPL