Prosecutor says RTTL officials investigated in possible corruption case

By Julio “Gil” da Silva
CJITL Reporter

One current and one former top official of Radio and Television of Timor-Leste (RTTL) are being investigated for possible corruption in the purchase of eight generators and one mobile satellite van for remote broadcasting, according to the public prosecutor’s office.

Also under investigation are the former director of procurement at the Ministry of Finance and the director of the Dili Auto Service (DAS), said Prosecutor Aderito Tilman, who is in charge of the case.

Tilman identified Expedito Dias Ximenes, the president of the RTTL board of directors; former RTTL director Joao Baptista; and former Ministry official Gregorio da Silva Fereira, as targets of the investigation, along with DAS director Sidik Lijandi.

General Prosecutor Longinhos Monteiro said last week that his office will “soon” send a summons letter to Ximenes to appear in court. Cipriana Pereira, the president of Commission C at the National Parliament, said the commission is also conducting an investigation.

Interim RTTL director Julio Correia, told CJITL that Ximenes was “directly involved” in both cases, saying Ximenes “has interfered a lot in things that are not his job.”

Baptista declined to comment on the allegations when contacted by CJITL, but Ximenes and Lijandi, the DAS director, both said they are ready to cooperate in any investigation if the case goes to court.

“I am willing to come to court if they call me for this investigation,” said Ximenes.

Fereira, the former director of procurement, could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts by CJITL reporters.

For months, critics have raised questions about both purchases, claiming that the $250,000 price paid for the van was too high and the generators did not meet the specifications advertised. Sources within RTTL say the generators, which cost $44,000, were to have provided power to radio transmitters but cannot be used for that purpose.

Prosecutors say they are investigating whether the RTTL officials improperly interfered in the bidding process. In the case of the generators, disappointed bidder AI Service Company has complained that it offered a better price than other companies, and yet the contract was awarded to Virgo Unipessoal Company.

Amancio Rolando, the director of Virgo Unipessoal, said his company simply followed procedures as outlined by the Ministry of Finance’s procurement office. He said he, too, will be happy to cooperate with any investigation.

Investigators also want to know why RTTL officials never complained about the generators or asked Virgo Unipessoal to fix the problem. Correia said the generators are currently being stored in a warehouse, awaiting resale.

Evangelinha Aparicio Guterres, procurement officer at the Ministry of Finance, said normal procedure would be for RTTL to file a letter of complaint to the procurement office, but that has not happened.

“Do not blame the others because RTTL was also involved directly in the tender process,” Evangelinha said.

The investigation was reopened on March 27 after the anti-corruption organization LABEH submitted new evidence to the prosecutor’s office. Christopher Henry Samson, executive director of LABEH, said staff at the non-governmental organization are willing to testify if the case is brought to court.

Anyone with additional information on either matter is urged to contact CJITL at 739-1449 or via email at cjitl07@gmail.com