Thakuri reached the office of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to record his statement after the anti-graft body summoned him in connection with the multi-million dollar APC scam. [break]
“I did what was legally permissible. I had no ill intention behind paying the money to the supplier and everything happened as per legal provision," a CIAA source quoted Thakuri as saying. The source said Thakuri has been asked to appear before the commission again on Wednesday for further interrogation.
Two investigation teams -- one led by lawmaker Pradeep Gyawali and another by Home Ministry officials -- had concluded that around Rs 300 million, out of Rs 440 million, was embezzled while procuring and supplying the APCs and other logistics for Nepali peacekeepers in Darfur.
Thakuri, who was present at the anti-graft body for nearly three hours, mostly repeated the earlier version of his statements in which he had said the situation back then was such that the payment could not be held back.
When the officials asked Thakuri why he released the money without studying the quality of the APCs and logistics, Thakuri reiterated same arguments he had used before the State Affairs Committee nearly four months ago.
The CIAA source said they have established that $ 700000 was released to Assured Risks that had supplied obsolete APCs during Thakuri´s tenure. “Our investigation shows that $ 250000 and $ 450000 were paid to local agents who dealt with the Police Headquarters on behalf of Assured Risks," the source informed Republica.
The draft of the investigation report prepared by CIAA officials, which is near completion, states that those involved in releasing the payment to the APC supplier have been found guilty of ignoring the inspection aspect.
"We will file a case at the Special Court possibly within 15 to 22 days," the CIAA sourced told Republica, adding, "We will finalize the charge sheet once the interrogation with Thakuri is over."
The commission has already interrogated more than three dozen police officers, including two former police chiefs, in connection with the procurement deal reached two years ago.
The CIAA was asked to investigate the scam after the Parliament´s State Affairs Committee (SAC) and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) directed the government to probe the scam seriously.
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