Africa-Press – Cape verde. The suspicions of false university diplomas and certificates by some National Assembly officials, reported in issue 754 of this Journal, were confirmed. Suspicions fell on about two dozen employees of Parliament, but only nine were caught in a situation of illegality.
In February of this year, in the face of denouncements of fraudulent situations by some officials who compete for the final framework of the National Assembly, the Parliament administration, just in case, decided to send all the files (71) to the Public Ministry for verification of the authenticity of diplomas and certificates presented by officials who participated in that competition.
But, at the same time, a law firm was hired to also verify the authenticity of the diplomas of all 71 employees and propose disciplinary measures for possible violators. Suspicions fell on 25 of the 71 employees, but the Cabinet found only nine irregular situations.
The vice-president of the AN, Armindo Luz, who is inherently chairman of the Board of Directors of the Parliamentary House, told A NAÇÃO that when the news of false diplomas emerged, a survey was carried out, based on the suspicions and the measures that were adopted were adopted. imposed at height.
“One of them was to send a document to the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) and, on the other hand, to trigger an internal investigation process using a law firm”, highlights Armindo Luz, explaining that after a screening, nine cases were detected. that needed “better clarification”.
Investigated cases
Of the nine cases, according to the same source, eight have already been concluded, with one missing, whose investigation process is “more complex”. However, of these eight completed processes, one expired and “it was determined to close the disciplinary process because more than 10 years have elapsed since the disciplinary infraction was committed”.
Another employee was ordered to close the disciplinary case for lack of evidence.
However, five employees were sentenced to inactivity (suspension) for 18 months, with immediate effect, “because it was proved, in the records of the aforementioned disciplinary process, that they delivered false documents for the purpose of financial and curricular advantage in the integration process. within the framework of the National Assembly”.
Another employee was only given a two-month suspension sentence, because, according to Armindo Luz, “he omitted to his employer that he had not yet completed the course for the purposes of having a financial and curricular advantage”.
Waiting for the PGR
The vice-president of the AN says that this is just the result of the internal disciplinary procedure, recalling that there is another process that takes place in the PGR.
According to the same source, the Public Prosecutor’s Office has been notifying officials allegedly involved in the scheme for falsification of diplomas and certificates to be heard within the scope of the aforementioned process.
“Here, in the National Assembly, we apply the maximum penalty of 18 months of inactivity for offenders, but the PGR can apply other, heavier measures”, points out Armindo da Luz.
In relation to higher education institutions that will have issued diplomas and certificates in favor of employees who have just been punished, that person in charge replies that this is a matter for the PGR.
Regarding comments that four officials from the PAICV Parliamentary Group and none from the MpD were punished, the AN vice-president is categorical: “We do not work with political colors. Those who prevaricated were penalized.”
Consequences
After serving the suspension sentences, the employees will be reinstated in the AN staff, but in categories corresponding to their real CVs. They will also have to replace all the remainder of the salary they received improperly, since the entry into force of the new PCCS.
The full implementation of the AN’s new Career and Salary Position Plan (PCCS), with the integration of the “precarious” into the effective staff, took place on January 1st, with the publication of the list of 71 employees. And it was from then on that doubts began to be raised in relation to the educational qualifications of many of them.
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