Malawi: The police in Mponela in the Dowa district have arrested three men after recovering 158 National Identity Cards (IDs). The police force has taken them into custody for attempted fraud and the creation of fake identification.
The suspects revealed to the investigating officers that they wanted to buy affordable inputs with the IDs. The suspects were trying to defraud the government and obtain farming inputs under the Affordable Inputs Program (AIP).
The police force has identified the suspects involved in the fraudulent activity. Mponela Police spokesperson Macpatson Msadala said the three are:
Precious Kenani aged 30 years
Jonasi Lukiyo aged 29 years
Victor Phiri aged 25 years
The Mponela Police spokesperson revealed that they were all arrested at the Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) market at Chisepo in the state of Dowa. The suspects are all engaged in agriculture.
Spokesperson Msadala said that people committed to public welfare told the police about the fraud attempt. They informed the authorities that the three were keeping the licenses of different people at a house in the area.
When the police arrived at the scene, they found the suspects with licenses and cash amounting to K2, 356,000 and 38 bags of Urea fertilizer. The police have since acquired all the cash
Currently, all three are in police custody awaiting trial. The people of the country have criticized the suspects for their actions in trying to take undue advantage of the government scheme. Meanwhile, many users have appreciated the police for carrying out their duty.
Some people of the country have appreciated the government for their Affordable Inputs Program (AIP). Some social media users have claimed that the programme is not benefiting people as much.
One social media user claimed: This program is not benefiting anthu awa! They can not afford to get that 30 sau amalima mapira it’s better to sale that ID at 50 sau to buy maize! Stop this program and subsidise the fertiliser so that large farmers can grow maize and others will buy at reasonable prices