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Malawi’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has launched investigations into 21 complaints of alleged passport extortion involving officers of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, following reports that applicants were asked to pay bribes to fast-track passport processing.
The ACB’s Acting Director General, Gabriel Chembezi, confirmed the probe in a statement on Friday, saying the complaints emerged during a recent visit by Deputy Minister of Homeland Security Norman Chisale to Immigration regional offices in the Central Region.
Chembezi said some members of the public accused some immigration officers of working with middlemen, locally known as dobadobas, to demand bribes in exchange for faster passport processing.
He noted that the reported bribe amounts are far higher than government-approved fees and place an unfair burden on citizens seeking public services.
“The complaints reveal disturbing trends of immigration officers and middlemen (dobadobas) allegedly demanding bribes of as high as MK500,000 to expedite passport processing, despite the official passport processing fees ranging from MK50,000 to MK120,000,” Chembezi said.
Chembezi also said the alleged practices appear to be organised and tolerated in some public institutions that are meant to serve citizens with integrity.
“The ACB is concerned that the culture of corruption appears to be well coordinated and tolerated in several government departments, which are otherwise supposed to serve the people of Malawi with dignity,” he said.
He assured the public that the Bureau would conduct thorough investigations and take action against anyone found responsible.
“The Bureau will ensure that these investigations are thorough and that those responsible for wrongdoing are held accountable,” Chembezi added.
