Lesotho sues to recover lost Belo project funds
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Public Eye
Lesotho’s Ministry of Energy and Mines has launched legal proceedings after finding that the former contractor for the Belo electrification project had received improper payments, principal secretary Tankiso Phapano said. Supervisory officials have been suspended and the state is seeking to quantify and recover the lost funds, according to minister Lejone Mpotjoane, cited by Public Eye.
The government of Lesotho has launched legal proceedings to recover public funds allegedly paid improperly as part of the Belo electrification project. The principal secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Tankiso Phapano, said the proceedings were launched after the discovery of payments to which the former contractor was allegedly not entitled, Public Eye reports.
A financial reconciliation is under way to determine the amount of irregular payments and losses. Some officials who supervised the project have been suspended and legal proceedings are targeting other people. The Minister of Energy and Mines, Lejone Mpotjoane, said administrative sanctions would not be enough and that the government had to recover the lost funds, according to Public Eye.
The project also delayed the launch of industrial activities and the jobs expected at the factories. Tankiso Phapano said the ministry was now strengthening oversight of construction sites through regular inspections covering the progress and quality of the work, while planning to recruit more qualified staff to monitor projects, Public Eye reports.
The legal proceedings come after the announcement on 10 November of the assessment of losses from the Belo electricity project. The Ha Belo electricity project was also due to be inaugurated following its announcement on 11 October, according to information published by Public Eye.
