Under Timor-Leste law it is illegal to use State vehicles for private use.

The operation seized or ticketed vehicles from the National Development Agency (ADN), Public Prosecutors office, Timor-Leste Defence Force (FFDTL), PNTL according to a CAC source who did not want to be named.

At the time CAC was heavily criticised for allegedly over-stepping its jurisdiction, with the seizure of an ADN car and driver prompting an immediate response from national leader Xanana Gusmoa.

Gusmoa and a number of unidentified men visited the CAC office, where the men with Gusmoa demanded the ADN car and its driver be released.

The source said CAC officials told the men it was operating “within legal regulations” and continued its operation.

Rui Lorenco da Costa, the Deputy of ADN, confirmed that the driver of the confiscated ADN vehicle was an advisor from Indonesia working with them had been given permission to use a state vehicle for work and personal use as part of his contract.

Costa said the ADN advisor had not violated any laws and warned CAC to “respect our staff and “not treat them like a thief.”

The unidentified ADN advisor was allegedly held in a police cell while the case was investigated.

Costa added that the heavy-handed behaviour of CAC towards the Indonesian citizen would bring “shame” to the government of Timor-Leste

The CAC source said the organisation rejected claims that they were acting illegally and that the treatment of ADN advisor was within CAC’s existing regulations.

“We do not do this for our ourselves, we do this within the existing law,” the source said.