By Nyasa Times Reporter
June 27, 2012
Malawi National Lottery company has closed its office in Mzimba amid reports that about K4 million has been embezzled.
The company has since fired its service centre manager for Mzimba, Wisdom Gondwe and accountant Sopani Shaba.
Bright Majawa and Chimwemwe Ngulube, who were working as sales executive, have both been suspended.
Several agents whom Nyasa Times talked to confirmed in separate interviews that the company has just paid them their May salaries.
The sales agents also confirmed that they have been laid down.
The agents said Malawi National Lottery company chief executive officer Yair Dickmann told them that the company is closing down the office due to the K4million which could not be accounted for.
”Dickmann told us that due to the K4million which could not be accounted for, the company was closing down. We were therefore asked to give back all company property which we were using in transacting business,” said one sales agent.
However, some sales agents who were involved in a motor vehicle accident have cried foul over compensation.
Six sales agents got involved in a road accident near Kazomba when the vehicle they were travelling in overturned as they were coming from Raiply where they went to sale lotto tickets.
During the accident, two sales agents Ruth Zimba and Tryness Munthali died on the spot.
Flora Nyirenda, Patricia Chunda, Bekiwe Shumba and Mayamiko Dzoole were hospitalized with multiple injuries.
”We were just given K10, 000 each for upkeep while we were in hospital. That’s the only money that we got from the company,” said Bekiwe Shumba.
Speaking in another interview, District labour officer Edward Gondwe said he was surprised that the company was paying its employees at night. Payment of salaries started at around 7PM.
Gondwe further said his Ministry will take the company into task over compensation for the deceased and injured sales agents.
http://www.nyasatimes.com/malawi/2012/06/27/lotto-office-shut-down-millions-of-kwacha-misses/
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