NOCMA makes U-turn on K0.7 billion payment

After public pressure over reports that K0.7 billion was lost to fraudsters posing as Mozhandling Limited, NOCMA has suddenly changed its tune.

The company is now insisting that no money was swindled after earlier saying the payment was being investigated as suspected fraud.

Speaking to the local media, NOCMA Public Relations Officer Raymond Likambale said Mozhandling’s bank had confirmed receipt of the funds.

“Mozhandling’s bank confirmed receipt of the funds, dismissing claims that NOCMA had been swindled. That means if there was hacking, it happened on the side of Mozhandling and not NOCMA,” Likambale said.

Likambale said the payment was for services provided by Mozhandling in the processing of the MT Flora, a marine vessel that transported 15.1 million litres of Government-to-Government (G2G) fuel through the Port of Nacala in Mozambique.

He said NOCMA would not make another payment for the same service because the company had already fulfilled its obligation.

“NOCMA would not make another payment for the same service, as the company had already fulfilled its obligation,” he said.

But NOCMA’s earlier statement says the matter is under investigation by the Malawi Police Service and Bank of America as a suspected fraudulent payment.

NOCMA says the US$403,605 relates to services provided by Mozhandling between August 13, 2025 and January 2026.

The company says the payment arose from an outstanding balance after an initial payment had been made to Mozhandling.

According to NOCMA, it later received a series of emails from Patricia Maria, an employee of Mozhandling who was following up on the outstanding payment.

The company says Mozhandling was engaged after Government shifted from the Open Tender System to G2G fuel procurement in November 2024.

The new arrangement required additional shipping, clearing, port-handling, transportation and other logistical services to support fuel imports into Malawi.

NOCMA was subsequently designated to play a central role in the importation of petroleum products.

The latest development raises questions over the apparent change in NOCMA’s position on the payment.

While the company now says the government was not swindled, it has also confirmed that the US$403,605 transaction is being investigated as suspected fraud.