Maravi

Back abuse of office bill, DPP urges MPs

Back abuse of office bill, DPP urges MPs
By Bright Mukwasa
Wed 21 Mar. 2012, 12:00 CAT

DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions Mutembo Nchito has asked members of parliament to back the abuse of office clause in the ACC bill.

Appearing before a parliamentary committee on legal affairs, governance and human rights chaired by Monze UPND member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu yesterday, Nchito said corruption must be fought vigorously and to the hilt.

He said he had witnessed the country's fight against corruption and what was needed were good laws to tame the vice.

"My own opinion is that the rate at which people abused power is frightening. I think that as Parliament, you have an important duty to ensure that we have laws in place that can check the Executive from abusing power to benefit them. To some extent, the Executive must be commended for bringing this law Abuse of Office Clause because the victims of this law are going to be the Esxecutive, not the other side," he said.

Nchito said the repeal of the law and subsequent reinstatement had the potential to immensely benefit the country in fighting corruption.

He also said public officers abusing resources suspected to have been corruptly acquired must asked to account.

Nchito said his office could not amend the submissions made by the Attorney General and were in support of the position taken by his office.

The PF government has taken back the abuse of authority of office clause that was removed by the Rupiah Banda administration from the ACC Act prior to last year's general elections.

According to the Anti-Corruption bill, 2012 tabled by justice minister Sebastian Zulu in the House, the bill states that a public officer commits an offence by doing or directing, in abuse of their position, office or authority any arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights or interests of the government.

The Anti-Corruption bill 2012, seeks to deal with any public officer concerned with any matter of transaction connected to their office who corruptly solicits to receive any gratification in relation to the transaction.

Labels: ACC, DPP, JACK MWIIMBU, MUTEMBO NCHITO

posted by MrK @ 5:38 PM