Huge Corruption Losses, Public Funds Court
9 mil returned to the treasury
http://www.yobserver.com/local-news/10013429.html
“The Court of Public Money has retrieved $9,801,000 for the State Treasury from corruption cases in 2006 and 2007,” said Mr. Ali al-’Awash, the General Attorney of the Court of Public Money. The number of corruption cases addressed by the public money prosecution from the beginning of 2006 until the middle of 2007 amounted to 2,296.
There were 1,416 cases in 2006 in which the court was able to retrieve the amount of YR 1,279,063,382 as well as $1,023,400. The 880 cases that the court dealt with in the first half of 2007 retrieved an amount of YR 425,816,605, as well as $168,000. Mr. al-Awash said that although the courts dealing with the prosecution of public money were limited in terms of resources and money, they proved their effectiveness in contributing to the fight against corruption.
At a forum held last week in honor of the International Day of Fighting Corruption al-Awash said that the responsibility of fighting corruption requires a real and effective partnership and cooperation amongst all the parties concerned.
In the same way, the Head of the National Supreme Anti-Corruption Authority, Mr. Ahmed al-Anesi, said that the authority is studying several cases of corruption; administrative, fiscal and investigational, and when they reach verdicts these cases will be referred to the concerned sides and the individuals involved will be revealed.
Huge funds returned from corruption cases in 2006 and 2007
09/12/2007SANA’A, NewsYemen
The National Supreme Anti-Corruption Authority (NSACA) and the legislative and executive authorities have agreed that billions of rials lost due to corruption in the last few years.
Celebrating the World Corruption Day, December 09, they have confirmed the need to combine efforts and ensure partnership between NSACA and eight government and private institutions that are concerned about
Corruption.Head of NSACA, Ahmad al-Ansi said this day was a good occasion to bring partners in fighting corruption all together to discuss corruption as a public issue, not
the issue of a specific organization.Al-Ansi called for activating the role of both legislative and executive authorities and developing the supervising bodies as well as society in general to eradicate corruption that damages national economy and hampers development.
We need to prevent corruption before happening, prevention is better than cure, said al-Ansi.
There were 1416 cases raised to the Public Funds Prosecution in 2006, said the lawyer at the Court of Public Funds Ali al-Awash.
Al-Awash said the court could restore over YR 1.279 billion and $1023400 to the Public Fund.
Early in 2007, the court looked at 88 cases of corruption and it could bring back more than YR 425 million and USD 168000, he added.
The head of High Judicial Council Esam al-Samawi said the council has tackled a number of corruption cases and that it has applied effective accountability and
extended inspection campaigns to protect the public funds.We work together hand by hand with the National Supreme Anti-corruption Authority o fight this threat against our country so that Yemeni people can live
decent life, said deputy speaker of the Parliament Yahya al-Raee.Head of the Central Organization for Controlling and Auditing (COCA) Abdullah al-Sanafi gave figures showing cases of corruption the COCA has found out in
the last two years.On this occasion, the UNDP office in Sana’a has confirmed its readiness to help the judicial system and ministry of finance in Yemen prepare and manage transparent budgets in addition to building the capacities of civil society organizations.
The Public Funds Court, presided by Judge Abdul Razzaq al-Akehali, continued its examination of 16 different cases that ranged from embezzling and theft to usurpation, all of which involve the misuse of national public funds.
One of the adjourned cases has seen 22 employees from the Ministry of Health stand trial. The case concerned the quadruple cerebro-spinal fever vaccine case in which pilfered funds totaled YR129 million. Another case dealt with the aircraft fuel supply directorate at Sana’a Airport in which financial damages amounted to $613,126 in addition to an embezzled amount of YR2, 141,126. The case was adjourned to gather more evidence.
The same court postponed case No. 31/2005 that involved counterfeit official papers, appointment decrees and employment papers for 1,491 pseudo-employees at Al-Jawf Health Bureau in 2002. The 14 defendants had allegedly usurped the ‘imaginary’ employees’ salaries that added up to YR20, 172,573. The hearing was adjourned in order to collect payrolls bearing the defendants’ signatures.
Another adjourned case dealt with the repair and renovation of the Sam Al-Yemen ship. The Yemeni Economic Corporation (YEC), owner of the vessel, filed the case against the repairs contractor. The YEC’s loss amounted to $800,000. The case was deferred in order to collect further evidence.
Judge Ali al-Omaisi presided over another 12 embezzlement and usurpation cases including four for writing bad cheques addressed to the Tax Authority, two zakah evasions and various thefts in public departments.
In total, the court passed seven verdicts last week. Four cases were ruled to be referred to specialized courts, three others included embezzlements, the circulation of counterfeit money and the theft of public funds.
