Corruption literally means to destroy (Latin word corruptus).It is not a rare phenomenon. It takes many forms with different types of participants, settings, stakes, techniques and
different degrees of cultural legitimacy.
is not only about stealing: it can also relate to the abuse of power in decision-making processes. It is a form of behaviour that deviates from ethics, morality, tradition, law and civic virtue. Corruption may be defined as any conduct which amounts to
influencing the decision-making process of a public officer or authority,
or influence peddling;- dishonesty or breach of trust, by a public officer, in the exercise of his duty;
- insider dealing/conflicts of interests;
- influence peddling by the use of fraudulent means such as bribery, blackmail, which includes the use of election fraud.
Any person who directly or indirectly accepts, agrees or offers to accept any gratification from any other person to benefit him-/herself or any other person is guilty of the crime of corruption. The person who makes the offer or inducement to another to commit a corrupt practice is also guilty of the crime of corruption.
Although there is an active and a passive side to the crime, both parties are equally guilty of corruption.
Whilst there is no single definition for corruption, common definitions include:
Although there is an active and a passive side to the crime, both parties are equally guilty of corruption.
Whilst there is no single definition for corruption, common definitions include:
- Corruption involves behaviour on the part of persons in which they improperly enrich themselves or those close to them by misusing power with which they have been entrusted. In short, corruption is the misuse of public power for personal gain.
[National Integrity Promotion Campaign - Namibia]
- In broad terms, corruption is the abuse of public office for private gain. It encompasses unilateral abuses by government officials such as embezzlement and nepotism, as well as abuses linking public and private actors such as bribery, extortion, influence peddling, and fraud. Corruption arises in both political and bureaucratic offices and can be petty or grand, organized or unorganized. Though corruption often facilitates criminal activities such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and prostitution, it is not restricted to these activities. For purposes of understanding the problem and devising remedies, it is important to keep crime and corruption analytically distinct.
[Handbook on fighting corruption, the Centre for Democracy and Governance]
- Behaviour on the part of officials in the public sector, whether politicians or civil servants, in which they improperly and unlawfully enrich themselves, or those close to them, by the misuse of the public power entrusted to them. This would include embezzlement of funds, theft of corporate or public property as well as corrupt practices such as bribery, extortion or influence peddling.
[Transparency International (TI)]
- Corruption is an abuse of (public) power for private gain that hampers the public interest. corrupt entails a confusion of the private with the public sphere or an illicit exchange between the two spheres. In essence, corrupt practices involve public officials acting in the best interest of private concerns (their own or those of others) regardless of, or against, the public interest.
[United Nations Manual on Anti-Corruption Policy]
- An act done with an intent to give some advantage inconsistent with official duty and the rights of others. It includes bribery, but is more comprehensive; because an act may be corruptly done, though the advantage to be derived from it be not offered by another.
[Law Library ’s Lexicon]
- Corruption involves behaviour on the part of officials in the public and private sectors, in which they improperly and unlawfully enrich themselves and/or those close to them, or induce others to do so, by misusing the position in which they are placed.
[World Bank]
- The promise, offering or giving to a public official, directly or indirectly, of an undue advantage, for the official himself or herself or another person or entity, in order that the official act or refrain from acting in the exercise of his or her official duties.
[Article 8 of the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime]
- To spoil or destroy by putrid decomposition; to turn from a sound into an unsound condition; to infect, taint, render morbid; to adulterate; to debase, to defile; to putrefy, rot, decay; to destroy the moral purity or chastity of; to destroy or pervert the integrity or fidelity of (a person) in his discharge of duty; to induce to act dishonestly or unfaithfully; to make venal; to bribe; to pervert the text or sense of (a law etc.) by altering it for evil ends.
[Oxford English Dictionary]
- Guilty of dishonest practices, (such) as bribery; without integrity; debased in character; depraved; perverted; crooked; wicked; evil; decayed; putrid; infected; tainted. Applies to one, esp. in public office, who acts on mercenary motives, without regard to honour, right or justice.
[Webster's Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language]
- The use of official position, rank or status by an office bearer for his own personal benefit .
[U Myint]
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