Public Treasury: civil servants arrested for financial offenses

2023-10-02 08:33:23

• In the payment of salaries

• Dozens of people involved

• Alleged “masterminds” arrested and detained, bank accounts seized

L’Economiste du Faso learned of the questioning and arrest of officials from the Public Treasury, the budget and others from several other public structures. The case takes place in the capital of the Eastern region. It has now been more than two weeks since the operation, which is taking place under the leadership of the Prosecutor’s Office at the Fada N’Gourma High Court, has been ongoing.

It was following a denunciation that the proceedings were initiated. After the preliminary investigations carried out by the judicial police officers, the defendants were referred to the Prosecutor of Faso at the High Court of Fada N’Gourma. The latter decided to pursue them through the introductory indictment procedure. It is a procedure by which the Prosecutor of Faso refers the matter to the investigating judge (a magistrate responsible for judicial investigations in the most serious or complex criminal cases). Thus, the case is currently pending before the investigating judge.

The facts and the modus operandi

The persons accused are being prosecuted for acts, among other things, of breach of trust, forgery and use of forgery, usurpation of office, embezzlement of public funds, illicit enrichment, money laundering, complicity in money laundering…. This criminal case involves around fifty people, according to cross-checks by L’Economiste du Faso. But for the purposes of the investigation, only a few are detained. Once the investigation phase is complete, the judgment of everyone involved will come. It appears from the facts that criminal complicity exists between the accused persons. As mentioned above, complicity would be established between certain officials from the Treasury and the Budget, in collaboration with other officials. Everything would happen at the level of payment of salaries. In fact, the Treasury and Budget agents involved would make irregular advancements and recalls, undertake irregular corrections and pay undue compensation to the other agents involved who are informed of these operations in advance.

Then, the agents benefiting from these illicit operations would pay part of the undue sums received to the Treasury and Budget actors involved. This is how some agents received their reminders several times, irregular compensation, advancements and corrections. The various amounts would amount to millions.

As part of this procedure, important actions have already been taken. Bank accounts, real estate and personal property were seized and sealed. Documents that could be used as evidence, such as the false stamps, were also sealed. The persons involved are, in accordance with the law, presumed innocent until proven guilty. The investigation of the case continues. The judicial authorities are hard at work to shed light on the case.

Boxed

Will the ECO-FI center take care of the matter?

AConsidering the nature of this case, it is likely that it will fall into the hands of the judicial center specializing in the repression of economic and financial offenses, abbreviated to the ECO-FI center. This is Law No. 005-2017/AN relating to the creation, organization and operation of judicial centers specializing in the repression of economic and financial offenses and organized crime. The last notable action was the judgment of Vincent Dabilgou, former Minister of Transport, found guilty of embezzlement of public funds, money laundering and secret financing of a political party. He was sentenced to a prison term of 11 years, including 7 years, and a fine of more than 3 billion FCFA.