Maravi

Sichinga calls for time frame on abuse of funds cases

Sichinga calls for time frame on abuse of funds cases
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Sat 15 Jan. 2011, 04:00 CAT

THERE is need to set a time frame within which investigations involving abuse of public funds should be completed, says Bob Sichinga.

In an interview, Sichinga who is a former parliamentary public accounts committee chairperson said parliamentarians had always been critical of the length it takes to address issues they raised.

He said whenever queries were raised, each ministry was supposed to give an answer on the action it had taken and state the timeframe, which in most cases took longer than the required time.

However, Sichinga said most of the responses were not on the queries and the action taken.

Sichinga said there were many cases pending because there was no law that stipulated the timeframe of investigations.

He said there was no feedback on the process of investigations and what had happened to the people involved.

Sichinga said there was poor and no accountability and queries were gathering dust.

Sichinga’s comments come in the wake of the Anti Corruption Commission’s remarks that investigations into the procurement of police escort vehicles by the Zambia Police were still going on and no arrests had been made so far.

ACC corporate affairs officer Wezzy Chomba on Tuesday said a team had travelled to get the necessary information on the procurement and the results remained in the confinement of the investigative wings.

The investigating wings are probing the police high command for the irregular and overpayment in the purchase of escort vehicles and three bulletproof presidential vehicles in 2006 during the reign of Ephraim Mateyo as inspector general of police and Francis Kabonde as commissioner of police.

Chomba also said investigations into the procurement of hearses at the Ministry of Local Government were still ongoing.

Labels: ROBERT SICHINGA, WEZZY CHOMBA

posted by MrK @ 8:51 AM