Judiciary audit queries worry PAC

THE Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has urged the Judiciary to be proactive in protecting public finances because audit queries are increasing.

PAC chairperson Howard Kunda yesterday told Judiciary Chief Administrator Nalishebo Imataa when she appeared before PAC to answer audit queries raised in the Auditor General’s report to be serious with financial issues.

“In 2015, there were five audit queries involving just over K1 billion. In 2016, the queries shot to 14 involving over K2.6 billion. The current year (2017) that we are dealing with, the queries went down to seven but amount was high at over K1.4 billion.

“To us this indicates that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. Of course you have improved from 2016 analysis. These issues are involving finances.

Do more that these queries relating to finances are brought to zero. Find a system that will work for you. Be proactive,” Mr Kunda said.

And Ms Imataa told PAC that stringent financial controls had enabled the Judiciary to over collect revenue from court fees and fines in 2017.

Ms Imataa also said over collection of revenue could not be predetermined as it was case driven.

In 2017, a provision of K24, 434, 965 was made for the collection of revenue against which amounts totaling K26, 104, 679 were collected resulting in an over collection of K1,66,714.