[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":266},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-flying-modems-and-fast-adjustments-how-were-switching-to-virtual-training-in-mozambique-1839":3,"news-flying-modems-and-fast-adjustments-how-were-switching-to-virtual-training-in-mozambique-1839-similar":81,"i-heroicons:arrow-left-20-solid":261},[4],{"id":5,"status":6,"date_created":7,"date_updated":8,"title":9,"type":10,"body":11,"date":12,"topic":13,"slug":15,"activity":16,"nid":18,"topics":19,"activities":20,"programme":21,"area":21,"websites":22,"language":21,"image":24,"translation_of":21,"countries":35,"tags":59,"authors":60,"images":78,"translations":79,"content":80},9691,"published","2022-05-26T22:54:21.000Z","2025-08-31T23:14:40.000Z","Flying modems and fast adjustments – how we’re switching to virtual training in Mozambique ","Blog","_This week, our team in Mozambique has started a series of virtual training courses for prosecutors, investigators and judges across 11 provinces. Getting to this point has been quite a challenge, as Senior Asset Recovery Specialist Margarida Bandeira de Lima explains below. It shows the vital importance of basic technology in enabling public officials responsible for fighting corruption to do their jobs._\n\nIt was quite amazing to see how quickly the world switched from classrooms to virtual classrooms as the pandemic spread. For those with good access to technology, the switch to virtual education has mostly worked better than we feared.\n\nIt has also worked better than we feared at the Basel Institute on Governance. Our International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) training team has already successfully delivered several [training programmes online](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Flearning-through-doing-even-online-east-africa-training-arinea), despite the challenges of replicating their intensive, hands-on training approach in the virtual space.\n\nIn Mozambique, our local team was looking forward to rolling out a series of essential training courses to prosecutors, investigators and judges across 11 provinces from March to July this year.\n\nIn the first phase we planned to cover several vital topics: money laundering with a focus on the seizure and confiscation of assets, breach of professional secrecy, and suspicious transaction reports. We also planned to introduce the proposed developments in Mozambican asset recovery legislation being considered by the Assembly of the Republic in the draft [Asset Recovery Bill](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fmilestone-mozambiques-journey-more-effective-recovery-stolen-assets). \n\nWe were going to visit each province in turn and invite all participants to a central training centre. We wanted to spend the mornings delivering training and the afternoons mentoring prosecutors in person to help them apply the new concepts directly to their most complex cases.\n\nThen the pandemic hit.\n\nPhysical meetings were suddenly impossible, so we had to switch to virtual training via Zoom. But internet connections in many Mozambican provinces are weak, and not all participants have their own computers.\n\nSo, we worked with staff of the Procurator General’s Office to arrange internet modems to be flown out to the various provinces. We also arranged for laptops to be rented, which in many cases was not so easy.\n\nWe also had to scale back and postpone the plans for mentoring on real cases, as there are currently no real possibilities for secure data-sharing.\n\nThe newly flown-out modems and computers are located at the provincial headquarters. Some of the trainees cannot travel there. Social distancing requirements also mean we have had to limit the number of trainees to three prosecutors, two investigators and one judge per province. The aim – in the short term at least – is for these trainees to try to pass on their new knowledge and skills to their colleagues.\n\nOur virtual training course covers the same topics as planned but in a shorter time to avoid computer fatigue. We are grouping provinces in the mornings and afternoons. This will also, we hope, encourage peer learning and domestic coordination on corruption and money laundering\u002Fasset recovery cases.\n\nSo, it has been challenging to switch to virtual training in Mozambique. And it has exposed the gap between those with good access to technology and those who work in contexts with weak internet and a lack of computers and secure file-sharing systems. I fear that criminals have far better access to these things than the officials in charge of stopping them and recovering the proceeds of their crimes.\n\nBack to the training. What matters is this: the first virtual training sessions have taken place in the provinces and the feedback has been excellent and supportive so far – we are lucky to have such engaged and eager participants. We are also grateful to the programme donor, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), with whose funding we were able to arrange the modems and rented computers.\n\nWe will continue to adjust and adapt as we move into future phases of training. The next phase will include training on the new multidisciplinary Asset Recovery Office that we are help to set up in order to build specialist capacity and facilitate inter-agency and international cooperation on asset recovery.","2020-08-20",[14],"","flying-modems-and-fast-adjustments-how-were-switching-to-virtual-training-in-mozambique-1839",[17],"Training",1839,[],[17],null,[23],"Main page",{"id":25,"storage":26,"filename_disk":27,"filename_download":28,"title":9,"type":29,"created_on":30,"modified_on":30,"charset":21,"filesize":31,"width":32,"height":33,"duration":21,"embed":21,"description":21,"location":21,"tags":21,"metadata":34,"focal_point_x":21,"focal_point_y":21,"tus_id":21,"tus_data":21,"uploaded_on":30},"7c81df98-0073-495c-be92-e20e44b68bb1","local","7c81df98-0073-495c-be92-e20e44b68bb1.webp","tmp.webp","image\u002Fwebp","2025-05-12T21:19:49.000Z",53232,1400,1000,{},[36],{"id":37,"news_id":38,"countries_id":53},7393,{"id":5,"status":6,"user_created":39,"date_created":7,"user_updated":40,"date_updated":8,"title":9,"type":10,"body":11,"image":25,"date":12,"topic":41,"slug":15,"activity":42,"nid":18,"topics":43,"activities":44,"programme":21,"area":21,"websites":45,"translation_of":21,"language":21,"countries":46,"tags":47,"authors":48,"images":50,"translations":51,"content":52},"03bebfd8-0b40-4a2a-820d-b9d9c13b9de6","b0662e2a-864d-4888-a1b7-4342b7570b30",[14],[17],[],[17],[23],[37],[],[49],1213,[],[],[],{"id":54,"name":55,"code":56,"latitude":57,"longitude":58},156,"Mozambique","MZ",-18.66569,35.52956,[],[61],{"id":49,"news_id":62,"authors_id":74},{"id":5,"status":6,"user_created":39,"date_created":7,"user_updated":40,"date_updated":8,"title":9,"type":10,"body":11,"image":25,"date":12,"topic":63,"slug":15,"activity":64,"nid":18,"topics":65,"activities":66,"programme":21,"area":21,"websites":67,"translation_of":21,"language":21,"countries":68,"tags":69,"authors":70,"images":71,"translations":72,"content":73},[14],[17],[],[17],[23],[37],[],[49],[],[],[],{"id":75,"name":76,"position":21,"image":77},313,"Margarida Bandeira de Lima","569554ec-fe73-4518-9b76-e453472f0811",[],[],[],[82,110,137,162,188,214,238],{"id":83,"body":84,"status":6,"type":85,"date":86,"slug":87,"title":88,"image":89,"countries":90,"topic":92,"activity":95,"tags":96,"nid":97,"topics":98,"activities":100,"authors":101,"images":102,"websites":103,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":104,"translation_of":21,"user_created":39,"date_created":105,"user_updated":106,"date_updated":107,"content":108,"link":109},9685,"Thirty-three prosecutors, 22 judges and 22 investigators from across Mozambique’s 11 provinces have completed a series of intensive training courses on anti-corruption and asset recovery.\n\nDelivered by the Mozambique team of our [International Centre for Asset Recovery](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery), the training sessions took place over three weeks from 17 August to 4 September. Investigators from SERNIC, Mozambique’s National Criminal Investigation Service, joined prosecutors from the Prosecutor General’s Office and judges from across the country.\n\nTopics included anti-money laundering, reporting on and suspending suspicious activity, the freezing of assets, seizure, confiscation and the breaching of banking secrecy in Mozambican legislation.\n\nCoronavirus restrictions meant the training had to be done virtually with a restricted number of participants in each province. This caused many challenges, as [Margarida Bandeira da Lima explains](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fblog\u002Fflying-modems-and-fast-adjustments-how-were-switching-virtual-training-mozambique) in her recent blog. But there were also major benefits.\n\nThe first benefit was the high level of engagement of the participants on the course. The purpose of the training was to increase knowledge and understanding of the Mozambican legislation and its practical application. This heightened awareness from the judiciary, prosecutors and investigators is vital to the handling of Mozambican corruption cases and will be integral in the success of Mozambique’s fight against corruption.\n\nPre- and post-tests point to an average 80 percent increase in knowledge after the training course. The real test will be when the trainees put their new skills and knowledge into practice in real cases of corruption and asset recovery. As part of our multi-year programme funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), we look forward to supporting Mozambique’s investigators, prosecutors and judges on this journey.\n\nSecond, participants got a vivid demonstration of the importance of open-source information and tools for investigations. As long as prosecutors and investigators in Mozambique have access to working computers and internet connections, these new skills will help them a lot in our increasingly digital world. It will also help them further develop and practise their investigation and asset tracing skills with online courses and guides such as those on our [LEARN](https:\u002F\u002Flearn.baselgovernance.org\u002F) platform.\n\nLastly, we noted a big improvement in computer skills and comfort with video conferencing technology over the training period, partly as a result of the mutual support the participants provided each other.","News","2020-09-07","anti-corruption-officials-in-mozambique-gain-new-skills-through-virtual-training-1844","Anti-corruption officials in Mozambique gain new skills through virtual training","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F727b31bf-9597-435f-bfab-9ec20758cec3?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[91],7391,[93,94],"Anti-Money Laundering","Asset Recovery",[17],[],1844,[93,99],"Asset Recovery and Enforcement",[17],[],[],[23],[],"2022-05-26T22:54:17.000Z","3d9ff205-1640-4f34-b5b6-86977f51bbd6","2026-05-29T22:21:49.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fanti-corruption-officials-in-mozambique-gain-new-skills-through-virtual-training-1844",{"id":111,"body":112,"status":6,"type":85,"date":113,"slug":114,"title":115,"image":116,"countries":117,"topic":118,"activity":121,"tags":124,"nid":125,"topics":126,"activities":128,"authors":129,"images":130,"websites":131,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":132,"translation_of":21,"user_created":39,"date_created":133,"user_updated":106,"date_updated":134,"content":135,"link":136},9771,"“We see countries where corruption is endemic in spite of them having adopted all the recommended legal and institutional frameworks and best practices. Most receive ratings with flying colours for their formal anti-corruption systems and in practice they do very little.”\n\nThis was an observation of [Claudia Baez Camargo](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople\u002Fclaudia-baez-camargo), Head of Governance Research at the Basel Institute on Governance, in a new report published by The Economist Intelligence Unit and UNOPS. \n\nThe report, entitled [The future of public spending: Why the way we spend is critical to the Sustainable Development Goals](https:\u002F\u002Funops.economist.com\u002F), concludes that \"less wasteful, more efficient government spending practices can free up resources to address a critical funding gap in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).\"\n\nIn the section on \"poor transparency\", Claudia Baez Camargo made the point that corruption in public procurement is often driven by relationships of mutual benefit. For example, businesses provide financial support to political campaigns and receive contracts as a reward. \n\n“Behind some of the most flagrant public procurement corruption scandals, there are informal networks connecting business interests and political elites that are associated because they help each other,” she said.\n\nFind out more about the Basel Institute's [research on informal networks, social norms and corruption](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublic-governance\u002Fresearch-projects).","2020-01-23","quotflying-colours-for-anti-corruption-systems-but-in-practice-very-littlequot-new-report-on-the-future-of-public-spending-and-the-sdgs-1062","\"Flying colours for anti-corruption systems... but in practice very little.\" New report on the future of public spending and the SDGs","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F1b3a1f12-f283-4785-9d8e-a8a7a8c5d4bf?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[119,120],"Prevention"," Research and Innovation",[122,123],"Research","Reports",[],1062,[127],"Prevention Research and Innovation",[122,123],[],[],[23],[],"2022-05-26T22:55:27.000Z","2026-05-07T21:29:45.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fquotflying-colours-for-anti-corruption-systems-but-in-practice-very-littlequot-new-report-on-the-future-of-public-spending-and-the-sdgs-1062",{"id":138,"body":139,"status":6,"type":85,"date":140,"slug":141,"title":142,"image":143,"countries":144,"topic":146,"activity":148,"tags":150,"nid":151,"topics":152,"activities":153,"authors":154,"images":155,"websites":156,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":157,"translation_of":21,"user_created":39,"date_created":158,"user_updated":40,"date_updated":159,"content":160,"link":161},9778,"We are happy to announce that our [Public Finance Management programme in Peru](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublic-finance-peru) has been extended for another four years, following an excellent performance in the programme’s external evaluation.\n\nLaunched in 2015 and run out of our regional office in Lima, the programme is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). It aims to strengthen public financial management among 11 local and regional governments in Peru.\n\n### Action and achievements\n\nEfforts in the first four years focused on five areas:\n\n*   Budget cycle processes\n*   Transparency and accountability\n*   Institutional capacity\n*   Coordination with central government\n*   Asset recovery\n\nThe numbers alone give a sense of the team’s achievements.\n\n229 public officials have graduated with a specialised [Diploma in Management and Public Finances](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fblog\u002Freflections-2018-peru-office-and-public-finance-management), developed and delivered in collaboration with Universidad ESAN. Over 3,350 have completed online training in tools for monitoring budget execution and open government. Another 8,000 have attended hands-on workshops and conferences across the country.\n\nThe team has assisted the 11 subnational government authorities in drawing up clear plans and processes for managing public finances, and provided technical assistance to 163 administrative units in implementing an integrated management system.\n\nLessons learned have contributed to five new proposed protocols for dealing with different aspects of budgetary macro-processes (all available in Spanish on the [programme website](http:\u002F\u002Fgfpsubnacional.pe\u002Fpublicaciones\u002F)).\n\nBut the numbers tell only a small part of the story.\n\n### Innovation and culture change\n\nAll eleven subnational governments in the programme have implemented codes of conduct for their employees, based on a participatory methodology developed by our specialists. Some of Peru’s central government ministries, including the [Ministry of Finance](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fperuvian-ministry-economy-and-finance-approves-code-ethics-and-conduct) and [Ministry of Energy and Mines](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fperus-ministry-energy-and-mines-develops-code-conduct-based-guidelines-seco-funded-subnational), have now adopted this methodology.\n\nGraduates of the diploma programme have set up a [Public Finance Management Experts Network](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fswiss-support-public-finance-management-experts-network-peru), showcasing and building on the bottom-up momentum. With support from the team, the Network is now snowballing across the country and already helping to facilitate dialogue with the central Peruvian government.\n\nAlso within the framework of the programme, senior managers and technical representatives from the involved 11 subnational governments have worked with the PEFA Secretariat on a [pioneering project to enhance Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fpefa-and-pfm-programme-making-public-financial-management-about-action-not-just-evaluation) evaluations. The focus is on action plans, not just evaluations.\n\n[Public accountability consultations](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fhow-regional-governments-peru-are-encouraging-citizen-participation-public-accountability) held recently by several subnational government are just another example of the culture change taking place within Peru with regard to transparency and accountability in public financial management.\n\n### Strengthening asset recovery capacity\n\nIn collaboration with the Basel Institute’s [International Centre for Asset Recovery](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnode\u002F25), our Peru team has contributed to the return of USD 40.7 million in stolen assets. So far.\n\n1,280 law enforcement and judicial officials have been [trained](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fasset-recovery-training-peruvian-judiciary) in asset recovery techniques and the use of international cooperation mechanisms such as mutual legal assistance.\n\nThe team is also providing technical guidance in the establishment of an Asset Recovery Office in Peru. Some [groundbreaking cases](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fblog\u002Flandmark-asset-recovery-case-puts-peruvian-non-conviction-based-confiscation-legislation-test) are putting legal instruments including [plea bargaining](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fblog\u002Fodebrecht-peru-interview-prosecutor-elmer-chirre-following-money-and-getting-it-back) and [non-conviction-based confiscation](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fblog\u002Flandmark-asset-recovery-case-puts-peruvian-non-conviction-based-confiscation-legislation-test) to the test.\n\n### Moving the needle\n\n_“Thanks to our willing, motivated partners in the subnational and central government authorities and to SECO’s generous support, we’ve succeeded in moving the needle to the right in most of the subnational governments assisted by the Programme,”_ said Oscar Solórzano, Manager of the Basel Institute’s Lima office.\n\n_“But there’s still a lot of work to be done – which is why we’re delighted to have received the four-year extension. The priorities now are support for public investment planning, procurement and tax collection at the subnational level. Watch this space.”_","2019-12-18","public-finance-management-programme-in-peru-achieves-flying-colours-and-enters-a-new-four-year-phase-1044","Public Finance Management programme in Peru achieves flying colours and enters a new four-year phase","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fc67ff26b-da04-4cf9-bef7-a84ceb5beada?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[145],7434,[147],"Public Finance Management",[149],"Media releases",[],1044,[147],[149],[],[],[23],[],"2022-05-26T22:55:33.000Z","2025-08-31T23:14:59.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fpublic-finance-management-programme-in-peru-achieves-flying-colours-and-enters-a-new-four-year-phase-1044",{"id":163,"body":164,"status":6,"type":10,"date":165,"slug":166,"title":167,"image":168,"countries":169,"topic":171,"activity":172,"tags":173,"nid":178,"topics":179,"activities":180,"authors":181,"images":182,"websites":183,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":184,"translation_of":21,"user_created":39,"date_created":185,"user_updated":40,"date_updated":8,"content":186,"link":187},10384,"_A blog by Zisheng Xing, a law student at the Arizona State University who is undertaking a legal research internship at the Basel Institute on Governance._\n\nA monumental anti-money laundering fine recently dropped in Australia, sending shockwaves throughout the gambling industry – a sector well-known for flying under the radar of anti-money laundering and counter financing of terrorism (AML\u002FCFT) regulations.\n\nOn 11 July 2023, the Federal Court of Australia ordered the Australian gambling giant Crown Resorts (“Crown”) to pay an AUD 450 million (USD 300 million) fine for repeatedly violating the _Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006_ (“AML\u002FCFT Act”) between 2015–2022. \n\nThe fine resulted from an agreement between Crown and Australia’s financial intelligence unit, AUSTRAC. This significant penalty is one of the largest in the gambling industry and serves as a severe reminder to casinos to implement and maintain effective AML\u002FCFT systems.\n\n### How did Crown breach Australia’s AML\u002FCFT Act?\n\nThe Australian Federal Court [found](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au\u002Fjudgments\u002FJudgments\u002Ffca\u002Fsingle\u002F2023\u002F2023fca0782) that Crown’s Melbourne and Perth casinos:\n\n*   failed to implement transaction monitoring programmes that were “appropriate to the nature, size and complexity of their business”;\n*   lacked “appropriate procedures to ensure higher risk customers were subjected to extra scrutiny” in their “enhanced customer due diligence” programmes;\n*   failed to conduct “appropriate ongoing customer due diligence on a range of specific customers who presented higher money laundering risks”;\n*   failed to maintain effective “risk-based systems and controls in their AML\u002FCFT programs”;\n*   failed to appropriately identify, timely assess and respond to ML\u002FTF risks they faced; and\n*   failed to establish appropriate frameworks for management oversight.\n\nWhen assessing the propriety of the penalty, the Federal Court concluded that Crown’s violations were “systemic, longstanding and egregious” and that they permeated “every designated service” that the enterprise provided its customers.\n\n### Risks posed by junkets\n\nA key finding of proceedings was that Crown had shown “a fundamental lack of regard” for the risk posed by junket operators. Junket operators are third parties who enter into agreements with casinos to facilitate gambling for high rollers. Junket operations often involve heightened AML risk, on the basis that they enable transfers of large amounts of money between jurisdictions. These transfers are administered in such a way that the source and ownership of funds involved can be easily obscured.\n\nMany of Crown’s contraventions were based on their relationship with such operations – even when the risks they presented were obvious. For example, AUSTRAC stated that Crown continued a “business relationship with a major casino junket operator” while “aware of allegations the operator was connected to organised crime.\"\n\nAdditionally, AUSTRAC noted at least 75 “suspicious incidents” involving approximately AUD 23 million in cash found in a private gaming room to which Crown Melbourne had given a junket operator exclusive access.\n\n### Why is this decision significant for AML\u002FCFT?\n\nAs [outlined](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.austrac.gov.au\u002Fnews-and-media\u002Fmedia-release\u002Ffederal-court-makes-ruling-crown-matter) by AUSTRAC, “the casino industry by its very nature, faces serious risks of exploitation by criminals seeking to launder the profits of their illicit enterprises.”\n\nConsequently, it is crucial that enterprises involved in this industry strictly implement and maintain strong AML measures and comply with relevant state laws. The penalty imposed on Crown is a clear warning to the entire gambling industry that its AML\u002FCFT compliance systems must be strong enough to meet obligations and “protect the… community and their businesses from serious financial crime.”\n\nThe decision also shows the importance of significant civil or administrative sanctions to enforcing compliance. As highlighted in our [quick guide to money laundering through the gambling industry](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fquick-guide-28-money-laundering-through-gambling-industry), proportionate penalties such as these both deter future breaches and encourage casinos to invest in robust AML\u002FCFT programmes.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   View our [quick guide](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fsites\u002Fdefault\u002Ffiles\u002F2022-09\u002FQG28%20gambling.pdf) to money laundering through the gambling industry by Isys Lam and Andrew Dornbierer.\n*   For more on money laundering risk assessment more generally, see the [Basel AML Index](https:\u002F\u002Findex.baselgovernance.org\u002F) – the Basel Institute’s flagship index of money laundering and terrorist financing risks around the world.","2023-08-07","the-crown-resorts-anti-money-laundering-fine-a-wake-up-call-for-the-gambling-industry-2496","The Crown Resorts anti-money laundering fine: a wake-up call for the gambling industry","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F4ba38771-e903-4845-9203-549526518d27?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[170],7170,[93],[14],[174],{"tags_id":175},{"id":176,"name":177},818,"Anti-money laundering",2496,[93],[],[],[],[23],[],"2023-08-07T16:01:34.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fthe-crown-resorts-anti-money-laundering-fine-a-wake-up-call-for-the-gambling-industry-2496",{"id":189,"body":190,"status":6,"type":10,"date":191,"slug":192,"title":193,"image":194,"countries":195,"topic":196,"activity":199,"tags":202,"nid":203,"topics":204,"activities":205,"authors":206,"images":208,"websites":209,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":210,"translation_of":21,"user_created":39,"date_created":211,"user_updated":40,"date_updated":159,"content":212,"link":213},9973,"Are we on the brink of the next industrial revolution - or is it already here? Are we about to witness a leap forward into what sounds like a mixture of science fiction and hype but which may also provide new opportunities for economic and social development and see a significant reduction in corruption?\n\nThese are a the questions that I will be exploring on a panel this Thursday, 22 February 2018, on “Digital Compliance in Emerging Market Economies: How can we Increase Compliance in Global Supply Chains,” as part of this year’s Alliance for Integrity’s global conference focusing on “[Implementing Integrity into Practice – Integrity in the Digital Era](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.allianceforintegrity.org\u002Fen\u002Fevents-and-training-activities\u002Fevents\u002FGlobal-Conference-2018-V-A.php#anchor_430dcca6_Accordion-6-13:30--15:00-Panel-Discussion).”\n\nMore and more, new and evolving technologies seek to exploit open data to improve policy decision-making and create digital tools, software and other related developments that may help contribute to the reduction of corruption, particularly where they are used in combination so that shortcomings between digital solutions and platforms are removed or reduced.\n\nAs most of these developments are still in the early stages of implementation it is, generally speaking, too soon for in-depth analyses of their effectiveness when it comes to tackling corruption. The focus is therefore on descriptive reporting on the technologies and anecdotal evidence on how they perform. If the anticipated leaps are actually realised, then hopefully a great deal of analysis will emerge providing further commentary and concrete recommendations on how to harness these developments for effective corruption prevention.\n\nLast year, the Basel Institute on Governance published a Working Paper on “[New Perspectives in E-Government and the Prevention of Corruption](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fworking-paper-23-new-perspectives-e-government-and-prevention-corruption),” which presented the results of a literature review of evidence supporting the causal link between e-government and corruption reduction, as well as the results of a unique anonymous web survey conducted by the Basel Institute to ascertain the extent to which companies are aware of, and use, e-government tools and digital solutions and the motivations for doing so.\n\nBeyond e-government tools, this blog provides a list and description of a number of new digital developments and technologies that may be worth considering when determining corruption risks and how they can be mitigated effectively: Companies might wish to consider exploring and investing in some of these tools and learning how they can be used to support business and anti-corruption strategies together with other stakeholders so that Collective Action can support the further acceptance and implementation of solutions that could be game changers when it comes to reducing bribery and corruption.\n\nOpen data\n---------\n\nOpen government data refers to a government policy approach that renders government data public and available to all, including for value creation (including for-profit).  It can help increase transparency and accountability as well as participation through open government data. By providing online access to the information that the government generates and collects on a host of subject areas, people have greater insight into how governments operate and how public funds are spent. There are various examples to draw upon, such as the [Slovakian government’s open procurement data project](http:\u002F\u002Fodimpact.org\u002Fcase-open-contracting-and-procurement-in-slovakia.html). Data about public spending is also essential to ensure effective review of the implementation of the [Sustainable Development Goals](http:\u002F\u002Fworkspace.unpan.org\u002Fsites\u002FInternet\u002FDocuments\u002FUNPAN97453.pdf).\n\nDrones and sky warehouses \n--------------------------\n\nIn October 2016 reports of a joint project involving a US logistics company, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, and a Californian drone maker surfaced in the media. The reports concerned the delivery of blood supplies via drones to patients in rural Rwanda. This [pilot project](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.newscientist.com\u002Farticle\u002F2109023-drones-will-fly-life-saving-blood-to-clinics-in-rwanda\u002F) could transform the way that remote areas without access to urgent medical supplies could receive drugs, vaccines, and other essentials that are time-sensitive. Sky warehouses were also featured in the news earlier in 2017, and it is reported that this could mean zeppelin-like aircrafts floating over congested urban areas at an altitude of about 13 km. Smaller aircrafts would [restock the flying warehouses](http:\u002F\u002Fwww.cebit.de\u002Fen\u002Fnews\u002Farticle\u002Fwarehouses-i-the-sky-amazon-is-developing-flying-logistics-center-37762.xhtml) and supply them with fuel, while drones would take over the delivery of ordered goods.\n\nDrones in combination with sky warehouses raise the potential for these technologies to cut out third parties and others who add costs and uncertainty into the supply chain. The potential to reduce the need for infrastructure such as roads, tunnels, and bridges may also be affected in the long term from such developments as drones and sky warehouses.\n\nAutonomous or driverless vehicles\n---------------------------------\n\nWhilst not yet permitted on public roads, the potential for such technologies developing into transport for goods across multiple jurisdictions could change the dynamic in areas where vehicles are frequently stopped for petty bribes, for example.\n\nGeographic Information Systems\n------------------------------\n\nA [Geographic Information System](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nationalgeographic.org\u002Fencyclopedia\u002Fgeographic-information-system-gis\u002F) (GIS) is a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth’s surface. GIS can show many types of data on one map. This enables people to more easily see, analyse, and understand patterns and relationships. With GIS technology, people can compare the locations of different things in order to discover how they relate to each other.\n\nGIS can use any information that includes location. The location can be expressed in many different ways, such as latitude and longitude, address, or postal code. Many different types of information can be compared and contrasted using GIS. The system can include data about people, such as population, income, or education level. It can include information about the land, such as the location of streams, different kinds of vegetation, and different kinds of soil. It can include information about the sites of factories, farms, and schools, or storm drains, roads, and electric power lines. For example, a user might click on a school to find how many students are enrolled, how many students there are per teacher, or what sports facilities the school has. \n\nIt has the potential to create more accurate data for public spending and verification of that spending. These attributes can contribute to greater transparency and accountability and can potentially reduce mismanagement of resources and curb corruption.\n\nBlockchain\n----------\n\nThis is a database that enables the transfer of value within computer networks, and which ensures trustworthy transactions, such as casting votes or sending money, without the necessity of a third party, such as a public electoral authority. It acts as an open, shared, and trusted public ledger that is transparent and cannot be tampered with.\n\nIt has been mentioned in connection with [land title registration in Sweden](https:\u002F\u002Fchromaway.com\u002Fpapers\u002FBlockchain_Landregistry_Reprt_2017.pdf), Cook County (Chicago), Ghana, and Honduras, though there is much work still to be done, and progress around these projects has been delayed in some instances by disputes within the community regarding the future of Bitcoin. \n\nAs responder to the Basel Institute survey commented:\n\n\"Obviously anything related to documented value, things a Notary would be trusted with in the Western world, would benefit from storage in a public distributed ledger (sometimes called blockchain) to simply eliminate corruption. In other words, where there is need for a trusted 3rd party (that may not be trustworthy) and where the trusted information can be digitalised, then there is an obvious case to automate trust with blockchain technology. Examples include land ownership, identification of people and\u002For devices, personal track records (education, health, crime-records...).\"\n\nProperty transactions could be handled on a blockchain similar to the way payments between parties are handled using digital currencies like Bitcoin. Instead of assuming that each ‘coin’ is the same, it would be possible to associate a unique house or piece of land with a particular coin, or fraction of a coin, and exchange it just like in any other transaction using digital currency. The entire transaction history of the property could then be followed through the blockchain. This concept is known as ‘coloured coins’ because the coins are ‘coloured’ to represent a specific asset, such as a house.\n\n[Land registry data on blockchains](https:\u002F\u002Fwww2.deloitte.com\u002Fcontent\u002Fdam\u002FDeloitte\u002Fuk\u002FDocuments\u002FInnovation\u002Fdeloitte-uk-blockchain-app-in-public-sector.pdf) can be made private or public. In real estate transactions, the details are placed on a private blockchain network run by known computers, and then, in order for citizens to verify the authenticity of certificates, that data can be turned into a cryptographic “hash” that’s made public on the Bitcoin blockchain, which is run by thousands of computers worldwide. The hash is a type of digital fingerprint that enables anyone to verify that the data matches what is on the blockchain without seeing the data itself. Blockchain technology brings security to real estate transactions because there is no central point of failure. The ledger is distributed among many computers, so a would-be hacker would need to simultaneously attack at least 51% of the network in order to fraudulently alter records.\n\nAnother example of the potential that Blockchain offers can be seen in Colombia’s Liquid Democracy and Blockchain Voting for Peace:\n\nColombian expats who were unable to vote through the official process on the government’s proposed peace plan in 2016 were given an opportunity to do so through blockchain technology. The [Plebiscito Digital platform](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Flaurashin\u002F2017\u002F02\u002F07\u002Fthe-first-government-to-secure-land-titles-on-the-bitcoin-blockchain-expands-project\u002F#9c8dd974dcdc) was a new way to validate and authenticate electoral votes. The new platform was also used to experiment with a different concept of democracy: liquid democracy. Instead of confining the voting to yes\u002Fno on the peace treaty, the voter could vote on the sub-themes of the proposed treaty and indicate the relative importance of each one. This enabled the deal-breaker to be identified: the overwhelming \"no\" vote to the question \"Do you agree with political participation of the FARC and opening up democracy?\"\n\nSmart contracts\n---------------\n\nTechnological developments that would complement blockchain-based land registration could involve putting notary services and smart contracts (programmable contracts that self-execute when certain conditions are met) for services such as escrow onto blockchains. While the potential for blockchain to improve notary services is being discussed, it is also currently the position that processes for verifying the accuracy of information that gets placed on the ledger have yet to be established.\n\nInternet of Things \n-------------------\n\nIoT is “the network of physical objects or ‘things’ embedded with electronics, software, sensors and network connectivity, which enables these objects to collect and exchange data.” IoT allows objects to be sensed and controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration between the physical world and computer-based systems, leading to improved efficiency, accuracy, and economic benefit.\n\nSince its introduction, IoT has been used in many aspects of our daily lives, from home security, to remote health follow-up, remote computer access, and so on; however, most of its benefits are still to be revealed. It could be helpful in the prevention of corruption through medical diagnosis techniques, reducing the need to attend a hospital or consult a doctor who may demand a bribe for a consultation or treatment; alternatively, IoT could be helpful in identifying the need for spares\u002Frepairs in a machine without the need for intervention by a third party or a sales agent.","2018-02-19","digital-developments-tools-and-technologies-the-new-frontiers-for-combating-corruption-and-expanding-collective-action-247","Digital developments, tools and technologies – the new frontiers for combating corruption and expanding Collective Action?","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fdb1a904a-14b8-4c59-a249-1e3daef29da3?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[197,198],"Collective Action","Private Sector",[200,201],"Insights","Partnerships",[],247,[197,198],[200,201],[207],1284,[],[23,197],[],"2022-05-26T22:57:57.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fdigital-developments-tools-and-technologies-the-new-frontiers-for-combating-corruption-and-expanding-collective-action-247",{"id":215,"body":216,"status":6,"type":10,"date":217,"slug":218,"title":219,"image":220,"countries":221,"topic":223,"activity":224,"tags":225,"nid":226,"topics":227,"activities":228,"authors":229,"images":231,"websites":232,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":233,"translation_of":21,"user_created":39,"date_created":234,"user_updated":106,"date_updated":235,"content":236,"link":237},9734,"Before joining the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery, [Tom Walugembe](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople\u002Ftom-walugembe-0) was a Senior State Attorney at Uganda’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. In this role, he secured the first ever money laundering conviction in Uganda in the case of _Uganda v Serwamba David Musoke and 6 Others_.\n\nThis landmark case blazes a trail not just for Uganda but for other countries to prosecute cases of money laundering and recover illicit assets.\n\nAs part of ICAR's efforts to encourage innovation and peer learning in the anti-corruption and asset recovery communities, we would like to share Tom's reflections on the case. His article raises considerations about what other anti-corruption practitioners and policymakers, especially in Africa, can take forward from it.\n\nThe short history of money laundering prosecutions in Uganda\n------------------------------------------------------------\n\nMoney laundering is the process of making large amounts of money generated through criminal activity appear to come from a legitimate source. In most countries, the conversion or transfer of proceeds of crime to disguise or conceal its illicit origin is criminalised as the offence of money laundering.\n\nIn 2013, Uganda passed the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AML Act). Prior to this, the offence of money laundering was not criminalised under Ugandan law. Uganda’s Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) was only established in July 2014. There was very little knowledge about money laundering among police detectives, prosecutors and even judicial officers.\n\nAt the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, we quickly realised that the new AML Act could give us impetus in fighting organised crimes like corruption, terrorism, drug trafficking and human trafficking. However, for the first year no prosecutor dared to try it.\n\nIt was not until May 2015 that we decided to test the provisions of the Act in the case of _Uganda Versus Serwamba David Musoke and 6 Others_.\n\nAbout the case\n--------------\n\nThe complainant (Equity Bank Uganda Ltd) is a commercial bank in Uganda with subsidiaries throughout the East African region. The prime suspect, Serwamba David Musoke, was the operations manager of Equity Bank Oasis Mall Branch in Kampala.\n\nOn 28 and 29 March 2015, Serwamba colluded with various other conspirators to embezzle USD 1,450,000 from the accounts of two Southern Sudanese nationals. The money was withdrawn in three instalments using fake withdrawal slips by fraudsters who impersonated the real account holders and presented fake passports. Serwamba, the architect of the fraud, did not conduct biometric verification on the imposters before approving the withdrawal of the money, which the conspirators divided amongst themselves.\n\nOn 29 March 2015, some of the conspirators posted a video on WhatsApp with them posing with bundles of US dollars in their apartment. This video would later go viral and lead to the arrest of some of the conspirators. The fraud came to the Bank’s attention on 1 April 2015 when one of the real account holders in South Sudan went to transact at the Juba branch, and uncovered strange transactions on his bank account. The matter was immediately reported to the police in Kampala.\n\nA financial investigation was conducted to follow the money and recover the illicit assets. The financial investigation revealed the purchase of various assets:\n\n*   On 31 March 2015, one of the conspirators bought a Mercedes Benz 4matic 500 for USD 25,000 in cash, leaving it registered in the names of the seller.\n*   On 31 March 2015, the same conspirator purchased a plot of land in Buziga (a suburb of Kampala) for about UGX 100,000,000 (about USD 30,000) in cash. The sale agreement indicated the names of his mother as the purchaser.\n*   In mid-April 2015, the main conspirator, Serwamba, purchased a plot of land in Wakiso for UGX 110,000,000 (about USD 32,000) in cash. The sale agreement indicated the name of his girlfriend’s mother as the purchaser.\n*   In April 2015, Serwamba purchased a Mercedes Benz 4matic valued at UGX 80,000,000 (about USD 23,000), leaving it registered in the names of the seller.\n*   In the same month, Serwamba used UGX 8,000,000 (about USD 2,300) to clear taxes on a Toyota Corona. His girlfriend had imported the car for about UGX 16,000,000 (about USD 4,600) before the crime was committed.  \n*   In April 2015, Serwamba kept cash UGX 255,000,000 (about USD 73,000) in a closet at his brother’s home. The money was recovered during a police search. \n*   Investigations revealed that two of the conspirators went on holiday to Dubai in mid-April 2015, where they spent luxuriously.\n\nMost of the stolen money was not recovered.\n\nIn May 2017, seven of the conspirators were convicted for the offences of embezzlement, causing financial loss, forgery, conspiracy to defraud and money laundering. They were sentenced to varying prison terms between five to 12 years. The recovered properties were confiscated and forfeited to the complaint bank.\n\nThe accused were also ordered to compensate the complainant bank severally and jointly in an amount of USD 1,250,000,000. They appealed to the Court of Appeal, which appeal is yet to be fixed for hearing.\n\nLessons learned\n---------------\n\n### A prosecution-led strategy ensured meticulous investigation and correct procedures\n\nAs soon as the case was reported, the police quickly realised that it was essential to seek the advice of prosecutors from the onset. The Serwamba case, therefore, became a prosecution-led investigation case.\n\nThroughout the investigation, regular case management meetings were held between the police investigation team and prosecutors. At the meetings, evidence gathered would be reviewed, new investigation leads identified, and further investigation actions agreed upon. On occasion, police detectives would consult prosecutors by mobile phone calls for urgent advice.\n\nThe decision to adopt a prosecution-led investigation strategy ensured that the case was meticulously investigated; gathering all the relevant evidence while quickly discarding irrelevant information. It also ensured that police detectives did not ignore crucial legal procedures like securing search warrants and restraining orders against recovered properties.\n\n### A parallel investigation strategy enabled more targeted investigations into predicate offences and stolen assets\n\nAnother critical decision was to adopt a parallel investigation strategy. The investigation team was divided into two teams:\n\n*   One team was tasked to focus on investigating the predicate offences like embezzlement, causing financial loss and forgery.  \n*   The second team was tasked to simultaneously conduct a financial investigation with a view to following the money to identify the proceeds of crime for seizure and restraint.\n\nThis strategy was crucial to the recovery of a decent amount of illicit assets, and ultimately securing the money laundering conviction.\n\n### Having a large prosecution team helped to overcome challenges of long timescales and vast documentation\n\nBecause of their intricate nature, money laundering cases are bound to involve a vast quantity of documents and require a long time to prosecute. The Serwamba case took us at least two years to prosecute. It involved seven accused persons and about 10 defence lawyers. \n\nBecause the court had many other cases to try, it was inevitable that there were several adjournments. Even small details like determining hearing dates were problematic. During the hearing, the prosecution had to deal with an array of objections from the defence team.\n\nIn order to ensure that the prosecution did not become overwhelmed, we realised we needed to have a sizeable prosecution team. Accordingly, three prosecutors were assigned to handle this case. This also helped ensure continuity in case one of the prosecutors became unavailable.\n\n### The evidence of accomplices acting as prosecution witnesses was crucial\n\nCriminals will go to great lengths to prevent law enforcement authorities from recovering their illicit wealth. Inevitably, money laundering schemes involve a large number of conspirators. It is essential, therefore, for the prosecution to win over some of the conspirators to its side to achieve success.\n\nIn the Serwamba case, the prosecution made an informal agreement not to prosecute two of the participants on condition that they would testify as prosecution witnesses. The two accomplices had appeared in the WhatsApp video while posing with bundles of US dollar bills. They had also helped one of the prime suspects in identifying assets like vehicles and land for purchase.\n\nShortly before the trial, the prosecution also agreed to drop the charges against three other suspects on condition that they would testify against their co-conspirators. The use of accomplices was fundamental to the successful outcome of the case.\n\nThe use of accomplice evidence inevitably meets stiff resistance from defence lawyers. In the Serwamba case, the defence team ferociously attacked the credibility of the accomplice witnesses and contended that they were giving false testimony to avoid being prosecuted. However, it is up to the presiding judge to determine the reliability and relevance of the evidence of an accomplice.\n\n### Informal cooperation was valuable where formal mutual legal assistance (MLA) was not possible\n\nThe Serwamba case had a transnational dimension, considering that the money was withdrawn from accounts belonging to Southern Sudanese citizens, and domiciled in the Equity Bank Juba branch. It was necessary to interview the two account holders and some of the key staff at the Juba branch.\n\nThrough police-to-police cooperation, the assistance of the Southern Sudan Police was sought to record statements of the account holders. Although the two account holders confirmed that money had been fraudulently withdrawn from their accounts, they declined to record statements. Nevertheless, the Southern Sudan Police recorded statements from two bank employees at the Juba branch.\n\nDuring the trial, the testimony of these bank staffers could not be secured through formal MLA as neither Southern Sudan nor Uganda had any regulations or the technological capacity to allow video link testimonies at the time. (Uganda has since passed regulations to allow video link witness testimonies, and acquired the necessary technology in some of its courts.)\n\nFortunately, Equity Bank, using its resources, met the cost of flying the two bank employees to Kampala to testify during the trial. There is no doubt that in future cases, both informal and formal MLA will be critical.\n\nHow we overcame the challenges of asset management\n--------------------------------------------------\n\nIn most developing countries, asset management of proceeds of crime will be a significant challenge to the criminal justice system. In the Serwamba case, three major types of assets were recovered, namely cash, vehicles and land. Here is what we did and what we learned.\n\n### Cash\n\nUGX 255,000,000 (about USD 73,000) was recovered in a closet in the house of a brother of the main suspect, Serwamba. As soon as this recovery was made, the lead investigating officer contacted the prosecution on how to keep this exhibit. The fear was that it was too tempting to keep such a large amount of cash within the police station as poorly paid police officers could easily steal it.\n\nIt was decided that the money would be kept in a specially provided vault at the Bank of Uganda. In this case, the money was not only a recovered asset but also an exhibit. The money was photographed and kept in the same bag in which it had been recovered. The chain of custody was proved by producing all the correspondence concerning the storage of the money in the Central Bank. \n\nBased on this experience, we believe that if countries do not yet have guidelines concerning the safe custody of large amounts of cash recovered in money laundering cases, they should consider drafting them.\n\n### Vehicles\n\nFour motor vehicles were recovered in the Serwamba case. The storage of these vehicles was a challenge, as the police do not have a warehouse for that purpose. Consequently, the cars were driven to the Anti-Corruption Court parking yard where they spent about one and a half years.\n\nThe prosecution at some point contemplated selling the vehicles and keeping the proceeds on an escrow account pending the finding of the court. However, the cars were at the same time exhibits which needed to be produced before the court. There was also the risk of being sued by the accused persons if they were acquitted. Ultimately, the vehicles were forfeited to the complainant Bank, but their value had depreciated substantially.\n\nThis demonstrates that countries should consider establishing asset management facilities like warehouses where recovered properties such as vehicles can be safely stored. It is also advisable to adopt asset management guidelines, which may, among others, provide for the sale of such items before the conclusion of the trial to avoid their depreciation.\n\n### Land\n\nThe two pieces of land that were recovered in the Serwamba case were easier to manage since they were undeveloped. The prosecution secured restraint orders against the said plots and proceeded to place caveats on their titles. The plots were eventually confiscated and forfeited to the complainant Bank.\n\nHowever, managing other real estate properties like farms, commercial buildings, homes etc. is more challenging. Again, it is advisable for African countries to adopt guidelines to streamline their management.\n\n### Commingled assets\n\nOne of the vehicles in the Serwamba case had been imported at approximately UGX 16,000,000 (about USD 4,600) before the crime was committed. Serwamba then used UGX 8,000,000 (about USD 2,300) of the proceeds of crime to clear taxes for the vehicle, thus raising the complex issue of commingled assets.\n\nThe prosecution took the approach that the entire vehicle amounted to proceeds of crime while the defence argued that only the UGX 8,000,000 used to clear taxes on the vehicle was recoverable. The court, in this case, treated the entire car as proceeds of crime and ordered its confiscation.\n\nHow to handle commingled assets will depend on the facts of each case and the laws of each country in this regard.\n\nWider considerations for money laundering cases in Africa\n---------------------------------------------------------\n\n### Witness protection\n\nIn the Sewamba case, the prosecution had to rely on about five accomplices as prosecution witnesses. However, Uganda does not have a witness protection law or programme. The arrangement with these accomplices was therefore based on a “gentleman’s agreement”. The security of such witnesses is potentially at risk before and after the trial.\n\nThe use of accomplices as prosecution witnesses inevitably continues to be a common feature in money laundering prosecutions in Africa. However, only a few countries on the continent have witness protection laws and fully-fledged witness protection programmes.\n\nIf witness protection measures do not yet exist in a country, policy makers in that country should consider establishing them. Witness prosecution is an essential requirement for the successful prosecution of money laundering cases. \n\n### Digital forensics\n\nThe majority of money laundering cases inevitably make use of digital devices like mobile phones and laptops. The Serwamba case, for instance, involved a WhatsApp video with some of the conspirators posing with the recently stolen bundles of US dollars. It also involved a forged email purportedly sent by the Juba branch manager to Serwamba indicating that the two account holders were to make transactions in Kampala.\n\nThese aspects of the evidence were not subjected to digital forensics analysis. The digital forensics capacity of most African countries is still very low. It is important that African countries enhance their digital forensics capacity, as this will be an essential aspect in the successful prosecution of money laundering cases.\n\n### Regulation of cash purchases\n\nIn many African countries, it is still possible to purchase expensive commercial buildings or vehicles using cash. In the Serwamba case, the suspects paid for the plots of land and vehicles in cash. The use of cash to purchase such assets makes the investigation more complicated since it is difficult to follow the money trail.\n\nPolicy makers should consider establishing laws that require the purchase of assets like real estate and vehicles to be made through bank payments. Accordingly, the due diligence conducted by financial institutions before accepting such cash to be banked would be the first layer of protection.\n\nCriminals would therefore find it more difficult to launder their ill-gotten money, and following up the proceeds of crime would be easier.\n\n### Financial investigations training\n\nMoney laundering is still a relatively new concept to many stakeholders in the criminal justice system in Africa, an observation borne out during numerous ICAR training workshops. Moreover, effective financial investigations require the involvement of detectives with a broad skillset and the necessary training in financial investigations.\n\nTraining police detectives, prosecutors and judicial officers in asset recovery and financial investigations should be a recurrent activity.\n\nFind out more\n-------------\n\n*   View the full court judgement in the case of _[Uganda v Serwamba David Musoke and 6 Others](https:\u002F\u002Fulii.org\u002Fug\u002Fjudgment\u002Fhc-criminal-division\u002F2017\u002F100)_.\n*   View the [Ugandan Anti-Money Laundering Act 2013](https:\u002F\u002Fulii.org\u002Fsystem\u002Ffiles\u002Flegislation\u002Fact\u002F2013\u002F2013\u002FThe-Anti-money-Laundering-Act-2013.pdf).\n*   Find out more about the work of the [International Centre for Asset Recovery](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery) and the [ICAR training team](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery\u002Ftraining-programmes), of which Tom Walugembe is now a member.","2020-05-27","breaking-new-ground-prosecuting-the-first-money-laundering-case-in-uganda-1754","Breaking new ground: prosecuting the first money laundering case in Uganda","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F590cac34-405f-4b4f-8e1e-e900e0b11558?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[222],7419,[93,94],[200],[],1754,[93,99],[200],[230],1230,[],[23],[],"2022-05-26T22:54:56.000Z","2026-05-29T22:21:52.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fbreaking-new-ground-prosecuting-the-first-money-laundering-case-in-uganda-1754",{"id":239,"body":240,"status":6,"type":10,"date":241,"slug":242,"title":243,"image":244,"countries":245,"topic":247,"activity":248,"tags":249,"nid":250,"topics":251,"activities":252,"authors":253,"images":255,"websites":256,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":257,"translation_of":21,"user_created":39,"date_created":258,"user_updated":40,"date_updated":8,"content":259,"link":260},9739,"In early April, more than 770 public officials across Peru took our latest [virtual training course on public financial management](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fvirtual-training-course-public-financial-management-launched-peru) (PFM). This free seven-week course is part of a [programme](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cooperacionsuiza.pe\u002Fproyecto\u002Freformas-de-gestion-de-finanzas-publicas-a-nivel-subnacional\u002F) financed by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) to strengthen standards of PFM in 11 subnational governments. In all senses, it has been a huge success.\n\nSome people have been surprised at this, given the disruption caused by the pandemic and the technical issues of computer and internet availability in Peru. My colleagues Carlos Vargas (Director of the PFM programme), Romina Cruz (Communications Officer) and I (Component Leader for Sustainability) take this opportunity to explain how, why and for whom we developed this course and how we managed to maintain such high levels of engagement. We hope our experiences are useful for others developing virtual training courses.\n\n### Multi-platform for maximum flexibility\n\nThe course is seriously \"multi-platform\": as well as a course web page, we have content on YouTube, Google Drive, Google Classroom, Vimeo, Facebook and Padlet. We have 23 regional WhatsApp discussion groups and a Telegram channel.\n\nWhy so many different platforms? For two reasons:\n\n*   To guarantee availability and access to all learners\n*   To minimise internet usage and costs\n\nDelivering an online course on a single learning management system has advantages, but it isn’t practical in places with weak, unreliable or expensive internet services, like in many Peruvian provinces.\n\nOur students – public officials in subnational governments – tell us that they like the flexibility of multiple platforms. It helps them to reduce their internet costs. For example, they can take advantage of mobile internet deals like free use of WhatsApp or Facebook’s pilot “Discover” app, which provides users with 10 MB of data every day.\n\nThe strict coronavirus lockdown in Peru has made this flexible multi-platform approach even more valuable. Most public officials are working from home and have to share their computer (if they have one) and internet connection with their partners and children attending school online. In addition, the government wishes to reserve internet capacity for essential services, particularly during the day.\n\nIn a survey we ran, most officials said they had use of a computer, but a large proportion also access the course on mobile phones and tablets. Flexibility and responsive web platforms are key.\n\n###  “Social” media for professional purposes\n\nPeople often ask why we use personal social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp for professional course content and communication.\n\nAgain, it is because it works in our context. We know from experience that Facebook and WhatsApp are good ways to communicate with our students – and more importantly to allow them to communicate with each other. For example, we have 7,230 followers on [Facebook](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002FGFPsubnacional), all highly specialised and engaged. Just in the last week, we had more than 5,000 interactions with our posts. When they share our posts with their own networks, it amplifies our reach.\n\nThese channels have been hugely important in creating and sustaining our [Public Finance Management Experts Network](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fcusco-joins-perus-growing-public-finance-management-experts-network), for example. This is an initiative of graduates of the diploma programme that we ran in conjunction with Universidad ESAN. Thanks in large part to social media, this new network already has more than 200 members across six regions. It proves the power of using \"social\" media for professional purposes.\n\nWe've had a similarly positive experience using social media for training purposes.\n\n### Support networks and sustainability\n\nOur use of social media has another big benefit: sustainability. Sustainable capacity building is not just about teaching new skills to individuals. The support networks that students create with each other help to increase their collective knowledge and sustain it over long periods.\n\nIn a university or classroom, students naturally get together and become friends. We are using social media to recreate these same support networks in the virtual space – and in fact to expand their potential. We see students helping each other with questions and ideas from across the country, at all times of day and night.\n\nWhatsApp groups can include up to 250 people, so they work well for connecting people within cities or regions. With Telegram you can have 200,000 people in a group, so this is a good choice for cross-regional communication.\n\n### Creating a critical mass for real culture change\n\nLinking people to people in this way is visibly helping to change the culture in Peru. Thanks to our onsite and virtual training courses [over the last four years](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fpublic-finance-management-programme-peru-achieves-flying-colours-and-enters-new-four-year) – and thanks to the support networks that have grown up – we are creating a critical mass of people in Peru who understand the importance and the details of strong and transparent public financial management.\n\nMany of the new employees we have hired recently to support our wider programme have completed our training courses. Some are part of the Experts Network. This critical mass has three effects.\n\n*   Mitigating issues of staff rotation and skills gaps in subnational governments. Proper public financial management is part of the culture and processes of a government department, not just dependent on individuals.\n*   Real impact at the national level. Many of the officials we train go on to obtain jobs in the central government. They take their skills, attitudes and support networks with them.\n*   International cross-fertilisation. Students from other Latin American countries have enrolled on this course, although it focuses on Peruvian law. Why? Because, they tell us, they wish to be at the forefront when their countries adopt similar laws. Some are even using their new knowledge of Peruvian policies on public financial management to help advocate for improvements in their own countries’ laws.\n\n### Interaction, feedback and mutual support\n\nWith 770+ students signing up for this course, and limited in-house resources, we knew we couldn’t provide individual support to every single student.\n\nOur system is simple. Students can send queries by email and we share the answers with everyone. They can also use a chat room on Facebook or request help in their WhatsApp groups. The students have been amazing. They immediately started thoughtfully answering each other’s questions and sharing ideas. And in the process of supporting others, they acknowledge that they learn better themselves.\n\nIt helps that some students (as well as ourselves, the course leaders) are or have been academics in universities. But access to information via the internet is the really critical factor that has transformed the learning process. In the past, teachers used to think they were the source of all knowledge, pouring it down onto students from the top during lectures. Now, many students know – or can find out – more than their teachers about specific topics and share it directly with their peers. Teachers need to understand that they are _facilitators_ and _supporters_ of learning. That is how we see ourselves.\n\nWe are also keen to get feedback ourselves in order to continuously improve the course. We send out surveys after each module asking for feedback and we also hold an optional Zoom call in the evening after each exam to discuss the questions. The feedback has been both encouraging and valuable.\n\n### Reflection, not just rote learning\n\nIn response to feedback, we recorded two extra videos applying the theory that the students are learning to the very real situation of covid-19 and its impact on public financial management. These kinds of “extras” are what students tell us they really value, as they encourage reflection and not just rote learning.\n\n“Reflection” is the key word in our approach to testing as well. After each module, there is a test. The purpose is not to check whether students can regurgitate what they learned last week word for word. The aim is to encourage students to reflect on what they have learned and apply it to real situations.\n\nThis helps move the knowledge from short-term memory to long-term understanding. The testing is part of the learning process.\n\n### “Using the fruit to make marmalade for everyone”\n\nVirtual training has clear benefits in normal times, not just during a pandemic. Our programme directly supports 11 subnational governments, but with virtual training we can reach the whole of Peru at no extra cost.\n\nFor example, our [virtual course in open government](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnode\u002F922) in 2019 reached more than 3,350 officials and citizens across Peru. This wider diffusion of knowledge is important for long-term sustainability and culture change.\n\nGetting the widest benefit for the lowest cost is vital in our country. That is another reason for our use of social media and networks of engaged individuals: it’s free. Saving on marketing costs means we can put more funds into the course development and support for students.\n\n### Three tips for designing virtual courses\n\nHere are three important things we recommend to consider when developing virtual courses.\n\n*   Understand your students and adapt to their needs. Speak to them and listen carefully to what they want and need. Tailor your content appropriately and be prepared to adapt quickly in response to feedback. \n*   It’s not about the tool, but what you do with it. Choose your technologies to meet the needs of the students, not just yours – and be open to non-traditional platforms like social media if that will work best in your context.\n*   Learning is about the heart, not just the head. The personal touch is still important, even if the course is virtual. The chance to interact with others through chat rooms and social media is hugely valuable. It is what turns a one-off training course for individuals into a sustainable, knowledgeable and engaged network that can really achieve change.","2020-05-17","how-to-design-a-virtual-training-course-that-works-in-your-context-experiences-from-peru-1749","How to design a virtual training course that works in your context – experiences from Peru","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Faaa363c7-28be-48c1-a690-2518cd46f0e4?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[246],7421,[147],[17,200],[],1749,[147],[17,200],[254],1231,[],[23],[],"2022-05-26T22:55:00.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fhow-to-design-a-virtual-training-course-that-works-in-your-context-experiences-from-peru-1749",{"left":262,"top":262,"width":263,"height":263,"rotate":262,"vFlip":264,"hFlip":264,"body":265},0,20,false,"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M17 10a.75.75 0 0 1-.75.75H5.612l4.158 3.96a.75.75 0 1 1-1.04 1.08l-5.5-5.25a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.08l5.5-5.25a.75.75 0 1 1 1.04 1.08L5.612 9.25H16.25A.75.75 0 0 1 17 10\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\u002F>",1780676386333]