19 Mar 2015

Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Eric Molale has told Parliament that a total of 24 corruption cases were reported in his ministry in 2013.

He said these included cases of conflict of interest, abuse of office, favouritism and nepotism, misuse of government resource, suspicious transaction, fraud and receiving a bribe, and many of these cases were still under investigation.

Minister Molale said he was aware that according to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime annual report of 2013, his ministry was reported to be at five per cent.

He explained that of the 24 cases, two were before the courts, two at the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, 16 were under investigations and four were closed. The minister said he was not in a position to state the position and appointments of the officers involved and whether such officers had been relieved of their duties as this would compromise the confidentiality involved in the process.

Furthermore, he said his ministry had put in place corruption prevention committees in various departments, which sensitised employees on the undesirability of corrupt practices as well as ensuring that opportunities to engage in acts of corruption were removed.

Member of Parliament for Gabane-Mankgodi, Major General Pius Mokgware had wanted the minister to state if he was aware that according to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime annual report of 2013, corruption increased by five per-cent in that ministry and if so, he should state the type and number of corruption cases in the various departments in his ministry during the period under review.

He had also wanted the minister to state as to how many cases were already before the courts, and state the positions, appointments of the officers involved, and explain if the said officers had been relieved their duties and what steps was he taking to reduce corruption.  ENDS