Refund stolen cash
Mar 30, 2008
The former National Social Security Fund (NSSF) boss Leonard Mpuuma was on Friday convicted and sentenced to a fine of sh100m after he pleaded guilty to causing financial loss and abuse of office. <br>Mpuuma last year denied the charges but has now admitted he made grave mistakes.
The former National Social Security Fund (NSSF) boss Leonard Mpuuma was on Friday convicted and sentenced to a fine of sh100m after he pleaded guilty to causing financial loss and abuse of office.
Mpuuma last year denied the charges but has now admitted he made grave mistakes.
Mpuuma and other former top NSSF managers are accused of causing a financial loss of over sh8b in the botched $225m (about sh382b) Nsimbe housing project.
This is a big boost to the Inspectorate of Government’s fight against corruption. It has shown that when there is overwhelming evidence to prove a case, the corrupt officials will have no where to hide.
We have the relevant laws against corruption. What has been missing is implementation or enforcement or sometimes misleading legal opinions by those entrusted with advising the government.
The court also issued a fresh arrest warrant for former labour minister Zoe Bakoko Bakoru who fled the country and another suspect businessman Isabirye Mugoya who was arrested in Kenya last year and charged with fraud.
It has taken long to bring Mugoya to book because he had earlier tried to circumvent justice by applying to the Constitutional Court not to effect his arrest. But after the Constitutional Court quashed his application, he now faces extradition from Kenya.
The long arm of the law will also catch up with Bakoko if she does not return from the US to face charges here.
The IGG’s office must be commended for prosecuting the case successfully. Other anti-corruption bodies including Parliament must move at the same pace with the IGG if corruption is to be dealt with squarely.
The country is wrestling with loss of colossal sums of public money. Employees of public bodies, while performing their duties, must be aware that at one point they will be made to account for their decisions. Corrupt deals must be made difficult to hide from a vigilant public.
Admitting responsibility and making good the loss is one of the ways of achieving greater accountability and thereby deterring corruption. But it is not enough to merely say sorry. The stolen money must be refunded. We must stop glorifying the corrupt as hardworking.
Mpuuma last year denied the charges but has now admitted he made grave mistakes.
Mpuuma and other former top NSSF managers are accused of causing a financial loss of over sh8b in the botched $225m (about sh382b) Nsimbe housing project.
This is a big boost to the Inspectorate of Government’s fight against corruption. It has shown that when there is overwhelming evidence to prove a case, the corrupt officials will have no where to hide.
We have the relevant laws against corruption. What has been missing is implementation or enforcement or sometimes misleading legal opinions by those entrusted with advising the government.
The court also issued a fresh arrest warrant for former labour minister Zoe Bakoko Bakoru who fled the country and another suspect businessman Isabirye Mugoya who was arrested in Kenya last year and charged with fraud.
It has taken long to bring Mugoya to book because he had earlier tried to circumvent justice by applying to the Constitutional Court not to effect his arrest. But after the Constitutional Court quashed his application, he now faces extradition from Kenya.
The long arm of the law will also catch up with Bakoko if she does not return from the US to face charges here.
The IGG’s office must be commended for prosecuting the case successfully. Other anti-corruption bodies including Parliament must move at the same pace with the IGG if corruption is to be dealt with squarely.
The country is wrestling with loss of colossal sums of public money. Employees of public bodies, while performing their duties, must be aware that at one point they will be made to account for their decisions. Corrupt deals must be made difficult to hide from a vigilant public.
Admitting responsibility and making good the loss is one of the ways of achieving greater accountability and thereby deterring corruption. But it is not enough to merely say sorry. The stolen money must be refunded. We must stop glorifying the corrupt as hardworking.