MPs in travel scam to face law
Karen Pretorius
30 August 2004
Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete says the law must take its course in the ongoing investigation into the misuse of Parliamentary travel vouchers.
In a snap debate on the matter in the National Assembly on Friday, Mbete said whoever was found guilty would have to face the full consequences of the law.
She said the debate was a way of reporting back to the country and state Parliament's position on allegations of irregularities with travel vouchers which are issued to MPs for travel by air, train and road.
Mbete acknowledged that problems existed with the way travel vouchers were managed, including the lack of control over their issue, use and the cancellation of vouchers, while no system existed to properly validate claims submitted to travel agencies.
Members of Parliament could also not validate trips undertaken in their names.
"These are loopholes that we have to study in detail, so as to close the gaps and
restore confidence in the institution," the Speaker said.
The probe into the misuse of travel vouchers has been going on for about a year, a move initiated by Parliament that led to the arrest of several travel agents for allegedly defrauding government in collusion with some MPs.
Mbete said the investigation would shed light on whether the implicated members knew about the irregularities.
"I have consistently refused to add to the confusion and frenzy that has tried and sentenced honourable members ahead of time," the Speaker said.
Forensic auditors PriceWaterhouseCoopers, contracted in 2003 to investigate, have submitted a draft report to Parliament's Presiding Officers.
The Speaker added that a final report will be tabled to parliament soon.
Source: BuaNews
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