Latest news with #PAC
IOL News
5 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Former PAC leader avoids jail time after fraud conviction
Former PAC leader Luthando Mbinda sentenced on fraud charges. Image: Mandilakhe Tshwete/ Independent Media Former Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) president Luthando Mbinda has been spared direct imprisonment after being convicted of fraud involving nearly R1 million in public funds. The 64-year-old was sentenced in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Bellville, where the magistrate handed down correctional supervision and a wholly suspended custodial sentence. During sentencing, the court considered Mbinda's circumstances, including his age, medical conditions, and family support, as well as the seriousness of the offence and the broader public interest. Medical records confirmed that Mbinda suffers from chronic illnesses, including hypertension and diabetes, and requires ongoing treatment. The State acknowledged the records were dated, but did not contest his need for continuous medical care. A probation officer's report described Mbinda as a married father of eight minor children with no previous convictions, who had fully cooperated with court proceedings. His family, including his wife and children, had provided consistent emotional support. The officer assessed Mbinda as a minimal risk to reoffend and recommended a suspended sentence, noting that the fraud was not committed for personal gain but stemmed from internal party issues within the PAC. The report also recommended he attend a counselling programme. The State opposed a fully suspended sentence but supported correctional supervision, arguing it would serve as both punishment and deterrent, especially given the misuse of public funds. The magistrate acknowledged that although the amount was not excessive, the fraud had been carefully planned. Mbinda had created bank accounts in his own name, 'LR Mbinda trading as Azania 2019', and submitted these to Parliament while using PAC letterheads. This resulted in nearly R1 million in constituency funds being redirected from the official PAC account to the fraudulent accounts solely controlled by him. The court found that Mbinda had misled Parliament and undermined party structures, though it accepted that there was no evidence of personal financial gain. 'He was dishonest,' the magistrate said. 'And while there may have been no personal gain, his actions diverted public funds.' The magistrate stopped short of imposing direct imprisonment, citing his clean criminal record, medical needs, and the political context in which the offence occurred. 'This was poor judgment rather than criminal intent,' the magistrate said. Mbinda's sentence includes: three years of correctional supervision; house arrest from Monday to Friday between 6am and 8pm, Saturday 6am and 4pm and Sundays between 6am and 2pm; he may not leave home without permission and must be available for unannounced visits by correctional officers; 16 hours of community service per month in Mdantsane for 18 months; mandatory attendance of behaviour modification, life skills, and personal responsibility programmes; all medical appointments must be pre-approved and properly documented. In addition, he received a five-year custodial sentence wholly suspended for five years, on the condition that he is not convicted of any similar offence involving dishonesty during that time; although five years were imposed, the effective sentencing period was reduced to three years; he has also been declared unfit to possess a firearm. Mbinda was convicted on April 14 this year after a Hawks investigation by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in Bellville. Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani said he was found guilty of fraud amounting to R995 670.20 but acquitted on charges of money laundering. Mbinda had handed himself over on April 9, 2021. Two co-accused were initially arrested with him but were cleared of all charges on January 22 last year. The court found that Mbinda had, on March 13, 2019, fraudulently opened two FNB accounts under his name and asked Parliament's Finance Department to deposit funds owed to the PAC into those accounts, bypassing the official ABSA account. Parliament then transferred R995 670.20 into the FNB accounts between March 22 and April 4, 2019. The funds, meant for the PAC's operational and constituency purposes, were instead diverted and controlled solely by Mbinda. Both the party and Parliament suffered actual financial losses. Mbinda was expelled from the PAC on June 14, 2017, two years before the fraudulent scheme. Speaking after sentencing, Mbinda maintained his innocense and insisted the act was a result of negligence, not criminal intent. 'I see it as either negligence or violating parliamentary policies, in that instead of opening the account in the name of the political party, I opened it under LR Mbinda, my name, trading as Azania, which is also the PAC,' he said. 'The account was never used for personal reasons but for the constituency.' He said he would appeal the conviction. Cape Times
Business Recorder
10 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Sugar price hike: PAC unhappy with FBR, ministry's briefings
ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction with briefings from both the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Ministry of Food Security regarding the recent surge in sugar prices. The committee has now demanded detailed information on the government's decision to import sugar. The committee under the chairmanship of Junaid Akbar received a briefing on the ongoing sugar crisis. During the session, PAC members grilled officials, scrutinising the issues surrounding the availability and pricing of sugar. Sugar price hike: NA panel to identify 'beneficiaries' According to FBR officials, the retail price of sugar in all four provinces is currently Rs 183 per kg. A summary for importing 500,000 tons was sent; 300,000 tons will be imported now, officials stated. Rashid Langrial, FBR chairman said that the matters of food import or export are handled by the Food Ministry. He explained that the cabinet made the decision; the FBR is bound by the decision. He further said that they are directed to abolish the 20 percent customs duty on imports. Sales tax was reduced from 18 to 0.25 percent. The advance tax which is 5.5 percent has been set to 0.25 percent, he added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana MC commissioner served contempt notice by NGT over green belt encroachment
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a contempt notice to the municipal commissioner of Ludhiana and directed him to appear in person before the tribunal during the next hearing. The notice was issued in response to a contempt petition filed by members of the Public Action Committee (PAC), accusing the commissioner of failing to comply with the tribunal's earlier orders regarding restoration of green belt land in Sarabha Nagar and Model Town Extension. In July, the tribunal had directed the commissioner to restore the green belt areas and submit a compliance report. (HT Photo) The tribunal warned that if the commissioner fails to justify the non-compliance, he may face prosecution under Section 26 of the NGT Act, 2010. The bench also said that arrest and detention in civil prison and imposition of environmental compensation on the MC could be considered for the damage caused due to encroachments and delay in remediation. PAC members Kapil Arora and Vikas Arora said they had initially filed a case highlighting illegal construction by the MC on the green belt of Leisure Valley in Sarabha Nagar, including a Zone-D extension office and a scrap yard. They also raised the issue of encroachments in Model Town Extension. In July, the Tribunal had directed the commissioner to restore the green belt areas and submit a compliance report. However, the residents' body alleged that only partial demolition took place and the report submitted was incomplete, leading the bench to reopen the case. On January 13 this year, the tribunal had already warned that failure to implement its orders was punishable under the law and could lead to coercive action. PAC also informed that another contempt petition is pending before the tribunal against the construction of a library on park land at Dholewal Chowk, and orders in that case are awaited.
Express Tribune
12 hours ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
KE agrees to pay Sindh Rs9b electricity duty
Additional concerns were raised over capacity payments to K-Electric's power plants, projected to cost over Rs 82b. PHOTO: FILE The K-Electric (KE) after several years of delay has started payments of electricity duty amounting to Rs32 billion, it has collected from consumers through monthly bills, to the Sindh government. As per the agreement, the power utility has agreed to pay Rs1.25 billion to the provincial government in two installments. This move is part of a broader agreement under which KE has committed to pay Rs9.142 billion out of a total outstanding amount exceeding Rs32 billion. A payment schedule has also been issued. According to the agreed timeline, the power utility will pay Rs4.258 billion to the Sindh government by September 2025. Additionally, the K-Electric will now be required to regularly remit the electricity duty it collects from consumers through monthly bills. The issue of non-payment of electricity duty was taken up by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Meanwhile, the Rs25 billion dues between KE and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board remain unresolved. K-Electric has warned government departments of potential disconnection if bills are not paid on time. The power utility in its letter to the secretary of the Sindh Energy Department referred to the discussion between KE team and PAC members on June 31, during which payment with respect to Electricity Duty (ED) was deliberated upon. As agreed, reconciled electricity consumption dues of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) will be held for adjustment against ED accumulated up to August 2024 and the excess amount of ED for the said period shall be paid by KE in line with the agreed installments as reflected in the schedule. Furthermore, KE will also deposit the respective ED amount for the period from September 2024 to September 2025, no later than 30th September 2025, into the respective Government Treasury. Moreover, it was also discussed that payment to KE for electricity dues by Sindh government and its various departments should also be paid on timely basis failing which, KE would be at liberty to take appropriate action including, but not limited to, disconnection of the respective electricity connections albeit in accordance with law.
The Hindu
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Female trainee constables protest at U.P.'s Gorakhpur centre over basic amenities, abusive language, cameras
Fresh batch of women constable recruits at Gorakhpur's 26 Battalion Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) campus of U.P. Police on Wednesday (July 23, 2025) protested and raised slogans alleging lack of basic facilities like drinking water, electricity, abusive language of trainers and even claimed that they were being forced to bathe in the open and cameras in bathroom corridors. In the viral videos, which were shared widely the new recruits could be heard saying, 'If they (authorities) could not make arrangements, why were we called here, there was shortage of everything from electricity to drinking water, our privacy was compromised, there were of lack of private bathing areas,". Another recruit added, "one Reverse Osmosis (RO) set was given for around 600 students, for 30 girls four fans were functional, even the fans were not in proper working condition,". Some protesting recruits question the high number of appointed women called at once for training while a few claimed presences of CCTV cameras in bathroom corridors, terming it as a breach of privacy. While administrative officers dispersed the protestors who were blocking the road and directed them back inside the centre, the recruits protested outside the administrative building, demanding addressing of their basic demands. Amid the protest senior officials including senior PAC officer Akhil Kumar and district police officials rushed to the spot and initiated an inquiry. "Officials took serious note of the issues raised by the women recruits of 26 Battalion PAC, Gorakhpur and a detailed inquiry was initiated. It was found that due to a 'technical fault' electricity shortage happened which led to a temporary water scarcity, the issue has been promptly resolved. Following the preliminary enquiry, Physical Training Instructor (PTI), who used abusive language with women recruits was suspended. The claim of camera in bathroom is completely wrong, the U.P. police give highest priority to women security and respect," reads an official statement issued by Additional Director General (ADG) PAC, Uttar Pradesh. Opposition parties hit out at the State government over the mismanagement accusation adding for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) women worship is only a slogan. "Unfortunate news is coming from Gorakhpur about the mismanagement of the training centre for women police recruits. There is no electricity, no water, no dignified bathroom. When this is the condition of the main city then what can one say about the rest. Women worship is a slogan of the BJP," wrote the Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, on X. The 26th Battalion PAC centre, which serves as a police training school, recently seen induction of 598 women constable recruits from various districts of Uttar Pradesh as part of the 2023 batch.
