Standing Orders amended to enable COPA, COPE to directly refer corruption to CIABOC, police View(s):Two amendments were passed to the Parliamentary Standing Orders (SO) this week allowing the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) and the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), when they find evidence of fraud, corruption or bribery, to directly report to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption or the Inspector General of Police without waiting to send a report to Parliament and take due action. The two amendments were passed with the agreement of the House. A new paragraph was inserted into SO 119(4) related to COPA, stating: “If the Committee on Public Accounts, in examining the reports presented to the Committee by the Auditor-General, comes to the conclusion that serious financial frauds, acts of bribery or corruption have occurred, the Committee may refer such matters directly to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption or to the Inspector-General of Police, at a time determined by Parliament after the report thereon has been tabled in Parliament, for taking necessary action regarding such matters.”A paragraph is added to SO 120(4) related to COPE, stating: “If the Committee on Public Enterprises, in examining the reports presented to the Committee by the Auditor-General, comes to the conclusion that serious financial frauds, acts of bribery or corruption have occurred, the Committee may refer such matters directly to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption or to the Inspector-General of Police, at a time determined by Parliament after the report thereon has been tabled in Parliament, for taking necessary action regarding such matters.”Share This Post FacebookTwitterEmail × Send Email to FriendSend Please enter valid email WhatsappDeliciousDiggGoogleStumbleuponRedditTechnoratiYahooBloggerMyspaceRSS

Source: Sunday Times April 11, 2026 07:02 UTC