Sh55m claims by court assessors fraudulent, Parliament told

Dodoma.  Sh55.5 million out of Sh115.45 million claimed by court assessors was fraudulent, Parliament was told.

That was said by the deputy minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Coordination, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Youth and the Disabled), Mr Anthony Mavunde, on Wednesday, November 14, 2018.

He was responding a question by Special Seats MP Silafu Jumbe Maufi, who wanted to know what measures were being taken by the government to pay allowances arrears to court assessors.

Mr Mavunde was doing so on behalf of Legal and Constitution Affairs minister Palamagamba Kabudi.

Mr Mavunde said the government recognised the roles played by court assessors in dispensing justice.

He said in 2017/18, the government verified their claims of Sh115.45 million.

It established that Sh59.96 million claims were genuine.

According to him, the remaining Sh55.5 million claims were false as there were no documents to support them.

“The government has therefore started paying arrears to assessors whose claims have been verified. The verification will be completed by December 2018, and claimants will duly be paid,” he said.

Since the cost of living has been rising, the High Court has started paying transport and food allowances to assessors since the 2018/2019 fiscal year, according to him.

He said the government would continue increasing allowances to them as the budget improves