Mohloai Mpesi
PRIME Minister, Sam Matekane’s cabinet has made history by being the first to fully declare its members’ assets to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO).
The move is meant to help the anti-graft body track the wealth of public officials and become aware if they loot state funds.
The declaration was disclosed during the Multi-Sectoral Anti-Corruption workshop for the revival of Maseru District Anti-Corruption Committee (MDACC) at Victory Hall in Maseru on Monday.
The anti-corruption body listed senior government officials who had declared their assets by the 1st of February 2024 and those who declared by the 31st of March 2024 final deadline.
Fifteen members of Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s Cabinet had declared their assets by the 1st of February 2024. They included Mr Matekane himself, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Justice Nthomeng Majara, Minister of Health Selibe Mochoboroane, Minister of Education Ntoi Rapapa, Minister of Finance and Development Planning Retṧelisitsoe Matlanyane, Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation Nthati Moorosi, Minister of Public Works and Transport Matjato Neo Moteane, Minister of Justice and Law Richard Ramoeletsi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations Lejone Mpotjoane, Minister of Natural Resources Mohlomi Moleko, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Limpho Tau, Minister of Gender, Youth and Social Development Pitso Lesaoana, Minister of Trade, Industry and Small Business Mokhethi Shelile, Minister of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police Lebona Lephema, and the Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition Thabo Mofosi.
Those that declared by the 31st of March are Minister of Energy Nqosa Mahao, Minister of Public Service Mphuthi Mphuthi, Minister of Environment and Forestry Letsema Adontṧi, Minister of Labour and Employment Tṧeliso Mokhosi and Motlatsi Maqelepo who marshal the Tourism, Sports, Arts and Culture ministry.
These five were only sworn-in in November last year when Mr Matekane increased his cabinet to 20 ministers. That probably explains why they had delayed.
The DCEO’s Director of Public Education and Corruption Prevention, Litelu Ramokhoro, disclosed at the workshop that the declared assets could not be disclosed to the public.
He said the Prevention of Corruption and Economic Offences Regulations 2006 barred them from disclosing the declared assets to protect the ministers from being targeted by thieves or being exposed to dangers of any kind.
“The law stipulates that it is all confidential. It is only Director General (Knorx Molelle) who knows the assets declared,” Mr Ramokhoro said.
“The asset declarations are put in an envelope and sealed tight and are kept by the director general. The reason is because we don’t have to expose one to criminals so they (criminals) can know how much one has at the bank, how much of livestock they have, their properties etc…
“We are only allowed to publicise the names of those who have declared assets,” Mr Ramokhoro said.
He said even the anti-corruption unit officials were not supposed to know the assets declared.
“We can only state that all the ministers have declared for the first time in this country, but we can’t disclose what assets they have declared because it is confidential.”
He said the law gave the DCEO powers to seize the assets of those who failed to declare their assets in the event that those assets became known.
According to Mr Ramokhoro, declaration of assets by public officials was a good practice found in many countries although the models differed. Some countries did not require their officials to declare whole assets but interests in certain commercial entities that could conflict with their responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the DCEO’s ‘Malimpho Moshoeshoe further urged other senior government officials, such as principal secretaries and their assistants to declare all their assets, failing which the DCEO would take stern action against them. She said the law empowered the DCEO to seize all assets not properly declared should they be discovered in due course.
“We have an asset declaration department in the DCEO which compels senior civil servants to declare everything in their possession. Don’t hide anything or even take some of your assets and put them in the care of your relatives because once we find that they belong to you, yet you have not declared them, we will take them.
“These include those that you have hidden hoping to keep them for your nyanyaula (concubine). Once our investigations reveal that you are hiding them, they are no longer yours, regardless of whether it is 20 cattle or five cars. We will take them because you failed to declare them when you had a chance to do so.
“I urge all those who have to declare to do so,” she said.
