15 March 2013

Public Prosecutor files proceedings against Secretary of State Francisco Borlaco alleging abuse of power

ETLJB 15/03/2013 - In another stunning development in the crusade against corruption in East Timor, the Office of the Public Prosecutor (OPP) has filed formal allegations of  the crimes of abuse of power by another high public official, Francisco da Costa Soares (Borlaco), allegedly committed when he was the Director General of the Ministry of Finance during the fourth Constitutional Government led by Xanana Gusmao.

Borlaco is the present secretary of State for Institutional Strengthening. His is a member of the Democratic Party and was appointed by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao to the Fifth Constitutional Government as Secretary of State for Institutional Strengthening.

The charge documents have been filed in the Dili District Court awaiting the trial process to commence.

Jornal Nacional Diario newspaper, which published a report on the case yesterday, reported that it had received formal information from the Dili District Court on Wednesday 13 March 2013 that the OPP's accusations against Francisco Borlaco were lodged in the Dili District Court on 24 January 2013, file number NUC2488/11PDD.

A number of officials in Xanana Gusmao's CNRT-PD alliance government have been convicted of corruption including former Minister for Justice Lucia Lobato who is serving a 5-year jail term. Source: Jornal Nacional Diario 14/03/2013 Edited by Warren L. Wright

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