ABSTRACT
C orruption is a pervasive cancer which infests both the private and pub-lic sectors of society. For the purposes of this chapter, however, corruption will be regarded as "the misuse of public power for private
profit. "l In that sense, the focus is essentially on the behavior of officials in the public sector, whether politicians or civil servants, policy makers or administrators. These officials may improperly and unlawfully enrich themselves, or those close to them, by the misuse of the public power entrusted to them. The reasons why they resort to corruption are many and varied. Some may be driven to it by poverty or the inability to match their expenses to their legitimate incomes. For others, the compelling factor is obviously avarice. But whether caused by human need or human greed, corruption has a devastating effect on the governance of a country.
