Global News

This article first appeared on RPP Noticias on October 20, 2021.

The Comptroller General’s Office identified 438 companies that have criminal responsibility for possible acts of corruption between 2018 and 2021.

During his presentation at the Congressional Budget Committee, Comptroller Nelson Shack explained that in the control reports that the agency carries out, not only the responsibility of public officials in corruption cases is determined, but also the companies linked to the crime are verified.

“In the subsequent control reports when you see a work, the contracting of a good or a service, and there is an alleged criminal liability, an alleged act of corruption, it is obvious that there is no public corrupt without private corruptor,” said Shack.

In 2018 a total of 126 companies involved in acts of corruption were detected, in 2019 there were 183, and in 2020 they dropped to 120. Now so far in 2021 68 have been identified. The total gives 497 detections but taking into account that in some cases they are repeated the final figure is 438 companies.

After identifying the companies linked to acts of corruption, Shack points out that it is up to the Attorney General’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office to continue with the analysis.

“Until the companies are sanctioned and disqualified, they will continue to do their business,” he said.

The Comptroller pointed out that in a month a document will be ready, for public access, with the names of the companies and their legal representatives to have more details about their field of action.

It is worth mentioning that these acts of corruption and functional misconduct have caused the State to lose more than S/. 22,000 million in 2020 alone.

Most of the companies with possible criminal liability operate mainly in Lima, Ancash, Cajamarca, Junín, and Huánuco.