WIndhoek
Motivating the N$49.8 million budget for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Christine Hoebes, who is the Deputy Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, highlighted some of the core functions of the anti-graft body, including that of conducting investigations and public education on corruption prevention.
In reviewing the previous year, Hoebes noted the Commission received 372 reports of alleged corrupt practices, of which 127 were fully investigated.
According to her, the investigations were concluded in 29 of these cases, while investigations are still ongoing in 98 cases, while 24 cases were referred to the prosecutor-general with recommendations for prosecution.
She added that 36 cases were referred to other institutions with instructions for further handling, while 169 cases were closed because the statements and supporting documents in these cases could not substantiate the allegations made.
Some cases were already being investigated by other institutions and did not fall within the mandate of the Commission.
The allocation is to be divided among the investigation of allegations of corruption, corruption prevention and coordination, management and support.
ACC plans to improve and extend its intelligence gathering capability and to continuously improve the forensic equipment as well as the skills of its investigating officers to ensure that investigations are successfully conducted and concluded.
Also high on the agenda is to oversee the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Plan and to conduct risk assessment on corruption vulnerabilities in government offices, ministries and agencies, state-owned enterprises, regional councils and local authorities, and develop integrity plans for these institutions.
ACC wishes to further establish integrity committees for government offices, ministries and agencies, state-owned enterprises, regional councils and local authorities.
The implementation of a performance management system with a view to improve the performance of staff members is also mooted for the current financial year.