Dili – Monday (3/6), the Anti-Corruption Commissioner Dr. Sergio Hornai accompanied by his structure to present the report of ACC Timor-Leste to the National Parliament (PN). The 2018 Annual Reports, which spans of 119 pages, is the first report that presented by third mandate.
The Report communicated the result of implementation the programs and its activities from previous mandate. The reported indicated that, even though, CAC faced numbers of challenges such as political deadlock and the absence of the Commissioner within seven months, but the remain structure in ACC managed implement most of the activities that reflected in its programs.
The commissioner informed to the National Parliament that during 2018, the Investigation Directorate detected 81 corruption cases, and investigator completed the preliminary report of 21 cases sent to Office of Prosecute General (OPG). While, undertook investigation of 49 corruption cases (which was 42 corruption cases delegated from OPG in 2018 and 7 cases from previous years), and ACC managed to complete final report on 36 cases. During the investigation, ACC interviewed 748 witnesses and 55 suspects.
As it presented by Commissioner Hornai, the embezzlement was dominant in corruption cases, then follow by abuse of power, mal-administration, falsification of documents, participation in economic and commerce, misappropriation of public assets and bribery.
Directorate of Prevention implemented numbers of awareness raising programs to the elementary schools up to university levels, youth center, and conducted workshops with numbers of state institution. This directorate conducted as well monitoring and inspection to number of schools and state institution that’s indicated risk of corruption.
While, to strength the cooperation with other entities, Commission signed MoU with Financial Information Unit (FIU) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the area of Corruption prevention. The Commission also maintained good cooperation and regular contact with the embassy of United States of America (USA) in Dili, as well as with UNODC to enhance capacity of the anti-corruption specialist, through number of training both in house as well in overseas.
Commissioner also raised some of challenges that faced by CAC such as limitation of resources, lack of legal instruments and institutional cooperation, and suggested numbers of recommendations to National Parliament in order to equip ACC to have a better function in fighting against corruption. (*)
