NBE, Geological Survey agree on inspection

The Federal Auditor General on Monday presented its report on the gold scandal to the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

The Auditor General has been assessing the working procedures of National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE), the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), and the Ethiopian Geological Survey (EGS) for the past several weeks.

The Auditor has been inspecting the procedures related to gold purchase and inspection process. After finalizing its assessment, the auditor on Monday presented a 25 -page report to the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. The Crime Investigation Department of the commission is now evaluating the Auditor's report. The latter has also presented its report to the House of Peoples' Representatives Public Accounts Standing Committee.

In related news, executives of NBE and EGS have resolved their differences over the procedure on gold inspection. NBE recently took possession of the gold inspection instrument of EGS and the latter agreed to send its chemists to NBE when gold is brought to the bank for sale.

A gold producers' cooperative last Thursday came to the bank with 600 gm of gold and two chemists from the Central Geo-Chemical Laboratory of EGS inspected the gold. When executives of the NBE asked the chemists to seal the gold in a wooden crate NBE provides to suppliers and affix the laboratory's seal on the crate they refused to do so on the ground that since the inspection was conducted in the headquarters of the bank it was impossible for them to affix the seal. Consequently the 600 gm of gold was returned to the cooperative. However, after deliberating on the issue NBE executives decided to put the seal of the bank on the wooden crate after the inspection is conducted.

Officials of EGS on their part have agreed to put the organization's seal and sign on the quality certification document to be given to the bank and the gold supplier. As a result the cooperative was able to sell the 600 gm of the gold to the bank.

Meanwhile, suspects allegedly involved in the gold scam on Tuesday appeared before the First Criminal Bench of the Federal High Court.

The Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission's prosecutor asked to be given 14 more days for investigation saying it had not finalized its investigation. The prosecutor said the investigation was so complicated that it needed additional time to complete the investigation. It noted that the investigation involved at least three institutions.
Though the suspects' attorneys protested the prosecutor's demand, the court, considering the complicated nature of the investigation, adjourned the case for March 21and remanded the suspects into custody until this date.    
 
By Kaleyesus Bekele