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Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Minister of Tourism sued General Inspector for Lottery Games over bribery scandal


Minister Vong shows Christmas gift with amount of US$10.000 which allegedly as a bribery scandal from General Inspector for Lottery Games, Miguel Lobato. Photo Timor Post/Acacio Pinto.  

DILI – On December 22, 2017, General Inspector for Lottery Games, Miguel Lobato brought a Christmas gift of US $ 10,000 and was given to the director of administration and finance for the purpose of a joint Christmas party, but finally minister of tourism Manuel Vong and his deputy Rui Menezes reported Lobato to the high prosecutor's office to be processed in accordance with legal channel for allegedly the action as a bribery.

Minister Vong explained, on December 22, 2017, he made a working visit in Aileu, and his deputy lived in Dili. At that time, Lobato brought a Christmas gift with the amount of US $ 10,000. This money was put in two envelopes. Each envelope contains US $ 5000 for the purpose give to the minister and his deputy.

“Because we all did not answer the phone, so he gave this money to the director of administration and finance. I do not know, and I do not want to know. I say zero tolerance to something that does not belong to me. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's,” he said.

Vong questioned that “why at Christmas time the person with the title of General Inspector for Lottery Games or a director has this much money to give to me and my deputy? I say, my dignity is not bought with money”.

However, the former rector of the Dili Institute of Technology admits that he is not angry with anybody, and does not criminalize anyone.

“But I do not accept this behavior because it is not clear, there is no clear justification. I would adequately to present the money to public prosecutor office to find out where the money is from”.

He added that after receiving the inauguration to serve as tourism minister, he already had the principle to uphold transparency and good governance.   

 Timor Post, Tuesday, 9th of January 2018. 
On January 5, 2018 when minister Vong and his deputy had passed a meeting at his office, Lobato entered in a violent and intimidating manner. From this incident, the minister and his deputy immediately decided to report Lobato to the public prosecutor office.

"I am grateful to the State for having given me two bodyguards that hindered him. I am very afraid. My wife and son are also afraid ".

He did not want to comment on defamation but let the $ 10,000 will explain everything.
During Christmas there are also many people who bring Christmas gifts to his house but he refused, and Christmas gifts from his office have been distributed to all his staff.

"There are some people who bring Christmas gift to my house but I was refused. So, I do not do defamation ".

 General Inspector for Lottery Game, Miguel Lobato. 


Meanwhile, General Inspector for Lottery Games, Miguel Lobato recognized that he was carrying the money to give to his minister and his deputy, but because the minister had other thoughts to report to the public prosecutor office.

Lobato said, US $ 10,000 not his money but from someone who wants to help the ministry of tourism to do a joint Christmas party.

“But because of minister had other thought that I want to bribe him so that’s why he took all the money and reported me to the public prosecutor office,” Lobato said. 

“There is a case against me about suborn. I wait; I hear only but not yet receive any notification. When there is notification I will go to defend myself. I also will report the minister because he defame me. I feel that I am not committed bribery”.    

He added, Christmas gift is not categorized as bribery because he gave the money not with any intention to get something back from the minister.

“The person who gave the money stated that to support the ministry in order to do a joint Christmas party, not to bribe”.  

The police are still investigating Lobato for his behavior on 5 January, and US $ 10,000 while still in the process of investigation in the public prosecutor office. (oki)

A version of this article appears in print on Tuesday, 9th January 2017, on page 1 of the Timor Post edition with the headline: Bribery?.   

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