Mathatisi Sebusi
IN a continued effort to combat corruption among civil servants, the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) has requested that all procurement officers at state-owned organisations declare their assets by the end of this month.
The Lesotho Times has seen a letter from the DCEO’s Director General, Advocate Knorx Molelle, dated 11 November 2024, addressed to the Government Secretary, Teboho ‘Mokela, requesting her office to facilitate asset declarations by all relevant civil servants.
“The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences is mandated by the Prevention of Corruption and Economic Offences Act No. 5 of 1999, as amended, to oversee the assets declaration program through Regulation 66 of the DCEO Regulations,” read the letter.
“In terms of the above-cited legal documents, your good office is requested to assist in the facilitation of the following: a list of all procurement staff in all ministries and departments, their positions and grades, and the declaration of assets by the mentioned officers.”
The letter also said all ministries were expected to comply with the directive, with chief accounting officers being responsible for enforcing adherence to the notice.
In reaction to the letter, Ms ‘Mokela instructed all chief accounting officers on 12 November 2024 to ensure that all procurement officers submit their asset declarations by the specified deadline.
She stressed the importance of compiling the necessary documentation and ensuring full compliance with the DCEO’s directive.
“Please find here the attached self-explanatory letter from the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) office that requires the above-mentioned information of all procurement personnel from all government ministries and government organisations to file their declaration of assets,” Ms ‘Mokela wrote in her communication.
DCEO spokesperson, ‘Matlhohonolofatso Senoko, told the Lesotho Times that the asset declaration process is part of an ongoing program that the DCEO began last year.
Initially, the DCEO had requested that senior officers declare their assets, with procurement officers now being the next priority group in line. She highlighted that there had been significant compliance from government ministries and organisations since the program’s inception.
Ms Senoko explained that the asset declaration initiative has been undertaken as part of the DCEO’s mandate to combat crime and corruption.
“Not only civil servants are required to declare assets; anyone can be requested to declare their assets at any time the DCEO sees fit. The exercise is one of the DCEO’s mandates aimed at fighting crime and corruption,” Ms Senoko said.
