News / National
Seven lawmakers face arrest over US$50k Development Fund
15 Jan 2012 at 08:44hrs | Views
About seven members of the House of Assembly are facing imminent arrest on fraud charges after they failed to account for their US$50 000 allocation of the Constituency Development Fund.
Secretary for Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Mrs Virginia Mabhiza said 24 other members also face punitive action for refusing to submit their returns.
She said the ministry would tomorrow make a formal report to police and the Anti-corruption Commission with a view to having the seven mem­bers arrested.
She could not, however, be drawn into revealing the respective parties to which the alleged fraudsters belong.
Mrs Mabhiza said the alleged fraud emerged after an audit by a ministry appointed team which sifted through returns submitted last year.
She said Treasury and the Comptroller and Auditor-General's Department immediately advised the min­istry to hand the matter over to law enforcement agents.
She said the audit team has so far examined returns for about 70 out of the 210 House of Assembly con­stituencies. Returns are essentially papers detailing how each legislator used their allocation.
Mrs Mabhiza said 24 House repre­sentatives are yet to submit their papers, raising suspicion of fraud or misuse of funds. A good number of the culprits represent constituencies in Harare while legislators in all the Matabeleland provinces complied.
The secretary said her ministry had to run induction courses last year following indications that most legisla­tors were not conversant with basic accounts and the administration of public funds.
MDC-T House of Assembly Chief Whip Mr Innocent Gonese said the money was not intended for personal use.
Zanu-PF secretary for information Rugare Gumbo said his party deplored the abuse of the funds, adding that "the accused should answer for their deeds".
The Government set aside about US$8 million for the Constituency Development Fund under the 2010 National Budget with each constituency getting US$50 000. The fund seeks to develop all parliamentary constituencies across the country.
Secretary for Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Mrs Virginia Mabhiza said 24 other members also face punitive action for refusing to submit their returns.
She said the ministry would tomorrow make a formal report to police and the Anti-corruption Commission with a view to having the seven mem­bers arrested.
She could not, however, be drawn into revealing the respective parties to which the alleged fraudsters belong.
Mrs Mabhiza said the alleged fraud emerged after an audit by a ministry appointed team which sifted through returns submitted last year.
She said Treasury and the Comptroller and Auditor-General's Department immediately advised the min­istry to hand the matter over to law enforcement agents.
She said the audit team has so far examined returns for about 70 out of the 210 House of Assembly con­stituencies. Returns are essentially papers detailing how each legislator used their allocation.
Mrs Mabhiza said 24 House repre­sentatives are yet to submit their papers, raising suspicion of fraud or misuse of funds. A good number of the culprits represent constituencies in Harare while legislators in all the Matabeleland provinces complied.
The secretary said her ministry had to run induction courses last year following indications that most legisla­tors were not conversant with basic accounts and the administration of public funds.
MDC-T House of Assembly Chief Whip Mr Innocent Gonese said the money was not intended for personal use.
Zanu-PF secretary for information Rugare Gumbo said his party deplored the abuse of the funds, adding that "the accused should answer for their deeds".
The Government set aside about US$8 million for the Constituency Development Fund under the 2010 National Budget with each constituency getting US$50 000. The fund seeks to develop all parliamentary constituencies across the country.
Source - zimpapers
