Online Reporter
The Herald, 23 July 1983
THE Government is amending Chapter 70 of the Prevention of Corruption Act to stamp out the increase in corruption in the public and private sectors, the Minister of Justice, Cde Simbi Mubako, said yesterday.
Cde Mubako told The Herald the Government was concerned at the increase in corruption which involved the embezzlement of funds and misuse of public funds.
“The Government has noted that there is a tendency of incidents of corruption to increase and it would like to make sure that they are stamped out.” The amendment, already approved by the Cabinet, would soon be gazetted, making it an offence for somebody or an agent employed by someone else to use his position for his personal benefit.
Cde Mubako said that the coming into effect of the amendment would see stiffer penalties for people found guilty of corruption and a provision was being made to ensure that the inducements of corruption would be forfeited to the State.
“In addition to any other penalties which the courts may impose any interest that the money has accrued, if it has been put in a bank, will be forfeit to the State.
“The presumptions are shifted so that for any public servant or agent who receives a present it will be assumed that he or she received the present for corrupt purposes unless he proves otherwise.”
The Government was not insensitive to the feelings of the people regarding corruption and its answer to criminals was to tighten the law as well as enforce it.
“When the Bill eventually passed as law, criminals will find it much more difficult to escape.”
Cde Mubako said there were three main reasons for the increase in cases of corruption. The first was because some people expected to live at a high standard when their salaries did not allow them to do so. The second reason was because many people had access to funds and the other was a result of problems of accountability because the process of checking had not as yet been perfected.
