The Drug Enforcement Commission – DEC is calling for the review of operations of the Financial Intelligence Center – FIC if alleged financial crimes can conclusively be executed.
DEC commissioner Alita Mbawe is concerned that the publication of raw intelligence data by FIC to the general public jeopardizes investigations by law enforcement agencies as perpetrators are “tipped off” and begin to destroy vital evidence while suspected foreign nationals exit from the country.
Mbawe is hopeful that the FIC will review how it conducts its operations to avoid compromising investigation as well as creating a false impressions.
“The intelligence reports disseminated to law enforcement agencies such as DEC sometimes turn out to be false on enquiry leading to closure of cases, a situation which is always misconstrued as inaction by investigative wings. It is, therefore, important that information is disseminated to the rightful audience in line with a well thought out communication strategy to avoid speculation and under pressure on Investigative Wings, she said
Meanwhile, Mbawe has disclosed that the commission received 16 cases involving K22 million out of those disseminated by FIC to Law enforcement agencies but that those cases are not part of the 308 that the commission received between January to December 2018.
She said that what was indicated in the FIC report was not what was on the ground hence the commission has closed some cases on false inquiry.
She added that there are 16 cases that are currently under investigation at various stages and that the commission will update members of the public on the action taken at an opportune and appropriate time in order to avoid jeopardizing the legal prospects of the cases.
She further stated that DEC will remain committed to the fight against money laundering and other related financial crimes which negatively affect the nation’s economic development and that it also remain open to collaborate with all stakeholders in order to effectively enforce the law for the betterment of the nation.
