Maravi

Sakeni urges proactiveness in curbing financial abuse

Sakeni urges proactiveness in curbing financial abuse
By Kabanda Chulu
Tue 24 Jan. 2012, 12:58 CAT

HOME affairs minister Kennedy Sakeni has challenged controlling officers to report to the police any suspected theft or misapplication of public funds in their ministries and departments even before the office of the Auditor General releases its reports.

When asked to comment on why security wings do not act on reports of financial irregularities highlighted in the Auditor General's reports, Sakeni said the police usually act when a report or complaint is presented to them.

"When controlling officers get such reports which of course implicate officers on issues of corruption or theft that are highlighted, it is important to make available these documents to the police because they can't act without reports so they must be informed and documents delivered to them. For example, if somebody misappropriated funds but a controlling officer fails to report then, how do you expect the cops to dream and chase up cases?" Sakeni asked.

"My plea to controlling officers is that once they come across issues of suspected corruption, pilferage, theft, they should report immediately to the police for them to investigate and take culprits to court. Law enforcement agencies will not hesitate to take action whenever they get a report and I am sure even the ACC, despite not falling under my ministry, are more than ready to pursue those cases."

He advised permanent secretaries not to hesitate in reporting any suspected fraud in their ministries to police.

"They shouldn't even wait for OAG reports, even auditors once they discover something fishy in their course of work they should simply extend findings to police, DEC or the ACC because this is the only way to bring sanity in government operations," Sakeni said in an interview.

He warned government officers in the new provincial centres and districts that will be established to be honest when handling government funds.

"New towns will require massive development so huge funds will be disbursed and in procurement of government materials, that is where there is lots of grey areas with high incidents of pilferage, over invoicing, bribery, among other cases, thus resulting in officers accumulating property beyond someone's imagination," said Sakeni.

"My plea to anybody handling government funds is to be honest, let them act above board so that the law doesn't visit them. As a new leadership we should avoid falling prey to such schemes of stealing public funds and we won't leave room for people to get involved in money laundering activities."

Labels: AUDITOR GENERAL, CORRUPTION, KENNEDY SAKENI

posted by MrK @ 10:50 PM