The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) failed to produce financial records for the organisation’s 16 farms to facilitate auditing by the Auditor-General for two consecutive years.
This was revealed by Auditor-General Mildred Chiri in the 2020 report on Appropriation Accounts, Finance and Revenue Statements and Fund Accounts, which was tabled before Parliament last week. In the report, Chiri said:
The farms were allocated by the government to the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage.
For the second year in succession, I have to report that the Ministry of Home Affairs did not produce financial records showing the police service farming activities were being accounted for.
I was, therefore, not able to validate whether all expenditure incurred and revenue generated had been properly accounted for and reported at the end of the year.
State property and activities may not be fully accounted for if systems are not in place to ensure transparency and effective reporting.
Payments by the Home Affairs ministry were not supported by vouchers and receipts as confirmation that service providers or suppliers provided the services and received the money.
In her recommendations, Chiri said police activities should be disclosed in asset registers of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage.
She also recommended that ZRP activities and proceeds should be properly reported in line with the Public Finance Management Act and other laws and regulations.
In its response, ZRP said internal auditors managed to visit only five farms due to COVID-19, while visits to other provinces were ongoing. The police said:
The 16 farms are Police Service Funds amenities operating under the Zimbabwe Republic Police Board of Trustees.
Operations of the farms are guided by Police Standing Orders Volume One and periodic circulars.
They are managed by the respective provincial commanders where they are located.
Financial statements are reviewed by the police internal auditors before submission to Police General Headquarters.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the police internal auditors managed to visit five farms whose financial statements for the period under review were submitted to the external auditor and visits to the remaining provinces were in progress.