Deputy Finance Secretary arrested, charged

The Deputy Finance Secretary Aloysius Hamou was arrested and charged on Thursday, January 28, for abuse of office.

The charges were laid in relation to police investigating the alleged illegal procurement of K50 million paid to an Israeli company by the name of LR Group of Israel.

Hamou was charged as the Section 32 officer who approved and facilitated for approving and  for the release of the funds to purchase two power generators without NEC endorsement.

Police investigations sourced documents from the Department of Treasury indicated the defendant as in his capacity as the deputy secretary for Budgets and Finance Management approved the payment as the section 32 officer.

However, investigations revealed that the purchase of the generators did not go through the proper tender and procurement process.

Investigations also revealed that NEC later approved for the purchase of two turbine generators for the value of K94million but since the K50 million was already paid the outstanding K44million was also paid to the Israeli company.

Director Fraud and Anti-Corruption Matthew Damaru says that the arrest of Aloysius Hamou is a result of ongoing police investigations emanating from a complaint lodged at the Directorate.

Investigations reveal the communication to Hamou to approve the payment despite there being no NEC approval meant that he exercised his power amounting to abuse of office.

Damaru adds that more arrests are anticipated to be made in relation to the matter.

Hamou was released on a K5,000 police bail. 

 

Author: 
Julianna Waeda