The Deputy Commander of Malawi Defense Force Lieutenant General Paul V Phiri has been embroiled in financial scandal for allegedly using force to pay himself an amount of K38,531,270 (Thirty-Eight Million, Five Hundred and Thirty-One Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventy Kwacha) on 20th April 2021.
It is alleged that Phiri while serving as Major General was paid the amount using his powers after he had forced the accountant to authorize the pay by adding his name and that of another officer on the list of the Oversees Training Allowance Arrears for MDF officers and staff.
Information indicates that in single payment voucher, Phiri allocated himself K10,260,000 on Maintenance of Buildings, and K22,811,270 on Foreign Training then allocated another K5,460,000 to another officer.
Phiri is alleged to have authored a letter requesting for payment of all outstanding arrears in which he alleged that his voucher was an updated list of all outstanding oversees allowances which the Defense Force Commander has directed to be paid without any further delay.
It is said that this payment was to be done together with the list of officers who were approved by the National Audit Office’s report.
The payout of K38.5 million to him for Oversees Training Allowances has raised eyebrows as records indicates that Phiri had never had any outstanding arrears on such reason since he already settled his arrears during the leadership of former Commander Mark Chiziko.
Meanwhile, there are reports that a well-wisher has tipped the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts to investigate the matter.
