TIB report on ACC

Transparency International report, according to which a meagre 37 percent of the accused are convicted in graft cases, is disappointing. As it is, the number of complaints that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) receives is small given that a staggering 68 percent of the citizens in the country are reportedly hit by the menace. To make matters even worse, most of the graft investigations that the ACC conducts are not completed in due time. It is time for serious introspection to find out the causes that have led to many cases ending without conviction.

Moreover, if the institutions intended to fight corruption lacks teeth, it is only natural that graft accused will make use of legal loopholes to go scot free. The allocation of fund for case investigation and appointment of lawyers is indeed meagre compared to the number of cases the ACC receives a year. Also, a dearth in logistics and manpower is evident in the cases it has lost.

Needless to say that corruption has spread its tentacles far and wide and is eating at our social and economic growths. Countries that have been successful in reducing this menace have done so by adopting a multi-pronged approach that includes increasing the operational ability of the institutions that fight corruption. The ACC should focus on capacity building, especially in skills and logistics. A good legal framework, along with structural independence and neutrality, is imperative in building a strong ACC. It must invigorate the process of inter-agency coordination and draw out specific plans to combat corruption. This is a fight that we cannot afford to lose.