Direct legal powers for COPE and COPA

The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) have been granted new powers to directly file complaints for legal action regarding corruption and fraud occurring in state institutions. This special opportunity arose last week with the unanimous decision of Parliament to pass two new amendments to the Standing Orders.

According to the procedure that existed before these new legal provisions came into effect, the investigation reports prepared by the relevant committees had to be first submitted to Parliament, and a long wait was necessary until a decision from Parliament was received for further action. However, the new amendments completely eliminate this delay, and the path is now open to directly report matters concerning fraudulent activities to the Inspector General of Police or the Bribery Commission and take swift legal action.

According to these amendments, a new paragraph has been added under Parliament Standing Order No. 119(4) pertaining to the Committee on Public Accounts. If the committee concludes, upon observing reports submitted by the Auditor General, that a serious financial fraud, corruption, or bribery has occurred, it is hereby empowered to act directly against it. Accordingly, after the relevant investigation report is tabled in Parliament, the COPA committee has the ability to file a complaint with the Inspector General of Police or the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption within a period stipulated by Parliament.

Concurrently, the COPE committee has also been granted these special powers by including a similar new paragraph for Standing Order No. 120(4) applicable to the Committee on Public Enterprises. A Sunday Times news report further states that if serious corruption or financial irregularities of the aforementioned nature are observed when examining reports provided by the Auditor General regarding state enterprises, the COPE committee can also, after tabling those reports, directly refer the matters to the Bribery Commission or the Inspector General of Police to take further legal action.