21 June 2012

Timor-Leste Legal News 21 June 2012

Maria Natercia Gusmão
New government members should declare their wealth and assets: Court of Appeals Source: Diario Nacional June 20, 2012 language source: Tetun - Members of the new government should declare their wealth and assets before carrying their mandate, Deputy President of the Court of Appeals, Maria Natercia Gusmao, has said.

The new government officials should declare their assets before assuming their posts as ministers or state secretaries, she said.

Ms. Gusmao was referring to law number 7/2007 about state declarations of government officials and said it was good to require government members to declare their assets.

"Law number 7/2007 is about asset declaration but it is not so strong. In the law a government official must only make a written declarations, but it does not clearly require a verification of assets," she said.
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Law on assets declaration creates a toothless tiger Source: Independente June 20, 2012 language source: Tetun - A Judge of the Court of Appeals, Maria Natercia Gusmao, has stated that the Court of Appeals could not investigate the wealth and assets of Government officials as the law was not so strong.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of the Timorese Anti-Corruption Commission (KAK) Aderito de Jesus said the asset declaration by the state leaders was good to prevent people from engaging in corruption.

"I think declaration of the assets is helpful for us to prevent corruption and also in the criminal investigation context," de Jesus said.
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Anti-Corruption Commision has investigated 20 corruption cases Source: Diario Nacional June 20, 2012 language source: Tetun - In just over two years, the country's Anti-Corruption Commission (CAC) has investigated 20 corruption cases alleged to ahve occurred within the Parliamentary Majority Alliance (AMP) Government, CAC Commissioner Aderito de Jesus Soares said.

"We have investigated about 20 corruption cases and the investigations are still going on. Some of the cases have been filed in the court," he said.

In relation to those cases, seven Government officials have faced the legal process, he said.

The commissioner also refused to mention the government officials who were allegedly involved because the matters were still under investigation.
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PNTL investigates police officer who shouted support for CNRT Surce: Independente, June 20, 2012 Deputy Timorese Police (PNTL) Commissioner of Police Afonso de Jesus has confirmed that the poice were investigating an officer who was believed to have shouted support for CNRT.

De Jesus said that investigation was made in order to discover whether the officer had ever provided security for the Government or been tasked to monitor campaign activities.

"We have not yet received a formal written complaint from the relevant authorities but with the information that we have, Command has already begun the investigation process," de Jesus said.

An unnamed source said that the involvement of  in the political police officers in the campaign of the National Congress for the Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) in Atauro Island would bring a negative impact to the PNTL institution's image.
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Prime Minister Gusmao calls on Inspector General to investigate former President Horta Source: Independente June 20, 2012 language source: Tetun Inspector General of the tateS, Francisco Carvalho, has confirmed that he received a dispatch from Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao asking him to investigate the former President of the Republic, Jose Ramos Horta.

"We received a dispatch to do an investigation and audit into the office of the president of the republic. This is requested by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao," Carvalho said.

He said that he had been asked to conduct an audit into the budget execution and the work carried out by the former president Horta over the last five years.
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Justice Ministry makes efforts to prevent public civil servants from committing corruption Source: Suara Timor Lorosae June 20, 2012, language source: Tetun The Ministry of Justice has instructed all public servants to stay away from acts of corruption, said Deputy Minister for Justice, Ivo Jorge Valente.

The Ministry of Justice held a seminar on the prevention of corruption in the public administration.

"Our ministry works hard to invite all the public civil servants to understand the importance of the seminar; so that everyone can stay away from corruption," he said.
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Police have power to identify potential conflict sites Source: Suara Timor Lorosae June 20, 2012, language source: Tetun Political leaders called on the Timorese National Police (PNTL) to better identify potential conflict sites in the country so that the people could vote freely.

Secretary-General of the KHUNTO Party Jose Agustinho da Silva said PNTL should provide tight security to all the people in the legislative election.

Roberto Pinto from ASDT Party said the legislative election should be run in peaceful manner and therefore PNTL should guarantee the security in all villages and sub villages.

"We are calling on PNTL to provide security for the people in remote areas so that they could vote freely," he said.
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Illegal communication for tender process is a crime: Minister Valente Source: Radio Timor-Leste, June 20, 2012 language source: Tetun

Deputy Minister for Justice Ivo Valente said any Government officials who illegally communicated with each other to pass a company in the project tender process will be considered to have committed a crime in violation of the Penal Code.

Mr. Valente said the Government official should refuse any telephone calls from anyone to pass any company in the tender process as it was a crime.

"You should refuse to agree with anyone who is trying to approach and influence you for passing any company in the tender. Although it is just a telephone call, it is an act of crime," he said.

He called all the public civil servants and the directors to stay away from conflicts of interest.
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Justice Ministry barometer for others: Ivo Valente Source: Radio Timor-Leste, June 20, 2012 language source: Tetun - Deputy Minister for Justice Ivo Jorge Valente said the Ministry of Justice was a barometer for other ministries; therefore all Government officials who were working for the referred ministry should work hard to guarantee the process of good governance in the country.

Mr. Valente made the comments during a meeting with legal practitioners and the Government officials of the Ministry of Justice yesterday, in Dili.

He affirmed that the internationals always visited Timor-Leste, they visited first the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation; therefore all the public civil servants and the Government officials who were working for the Ministry of Justice should be good example for others.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Maria Natercia Gusmao should declare her involvement in the illegal release from prison on 30 August 2009 of (Suai Massacre)genocidaire Maternus Bere.