Africa-Press – Angola. The signing of verbal contracts between the Municipal Administration of Humpata, in Huíla, with construction companies and service providers was a hallmark of Paula Nassone’s consulate (2014-2018).
The former municipal manager has been on trial for embezzlement since the beginning of the week, accused of several crimes, including five of embezzlement.
Without complying with the Public Procurement Law, the administration signed several verbal contracts, with the facts being revealed in the third trial session of the former administrator.
The facts about the conclusion of such contracts were brought to light by nine, of the 20 witnesses and declarants listed in the case heard in the trial under the presidency of judge Anacleto Kavonguelwa Kambuta, in the case involving seven defendants.
The criminal proceedings triggered in July 2018, due to the fact that the company OVC, owned by the defendant Avelino Guilherme, proceeded with the construction of a school with seven classrooms, without the act having been submitted to a public tender, depending on the value of the contract , valued at more than 40 million, paid in full.
One of the witnesses identified by António Tomás, sub-instructor informing the process, clarified that the SIC carried out an inspection visit to the company in question and found irregularities, realizing that there was a close relationship with the administration, especially in the construction of schools and rehabilitation of structures, noting that payment methods were by withdrawal order and bank transfers, but without public contracting.
In the same vein, the then director of the Statistical Planning Study Office (GEPE) of Humpata, an employee of the municipal administration since 2006, Edvaldo Pires, declared that these companies were authorized by the municipal manager at the time, the defendant Paula Nassone, clarifying that in some He was often surprised by the execution of work by them, without the due procedures required by public contracting and so he sought to find out from them what services they provided.
He stated that he had already asked the manager about the hiring procedures, compared with the contract established with the company OVC, budgeted at 45 million kwanzas, with an addendum of six million and 750 thousand kwanzas, for the construction of a seven-room school, whose contract did not follow legal procedures, because it was verbal.
The hiring procedures, according to the former person responsible, did not follow the plan made by the members of the administration, as the invitation letters were the responsibility of the legal office, GEPE only had under its responsibility the obligation to make the parts, such as the plans, specifications, but they did not have access to this type of work.
As for the company MIFM, belonging to co-defendant Maura Marques, who was also Paula Nassone’s secretary, payments were made through invoices, on the recommendation of the municipal manager, with the instruction that payments be made directly to defendant Maura.
The witness, José Fernandes, owner of a hotel in the municipality, declared that he provided meal and accommodation services for some journalists that the defendant Maura Marques requested in person or by telephone, from 2016 until the dismissal of administrator Paula Nassone , whose payments were made in cash or via TPA, always in full.
Idalessio Ebo, another witness listed in the case, states that he provided a supply service for water treatment products, aluminum sulfate and sodium hypochlorite, to the Administration, having been contacted by co-defendant Paula Nassone and payment made by hand, not remembering the amounts, but that he received from the defendant Maura.
Meanwhile Alberto Bembe, former municipal director of health in Humpata, said that Paula Nassone, as municipal administrator, had guided, among other companies, OVC to supply expendable material and medicines, payments for which were made by the Municipal Administration.
The trial session continues Friday, with the hearing of the remaining witnesses and declarants and a date will probably be set for the reading of the questions.
ANGOP
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