SFO discovers fraud at Afram Plains District Assembly

Accra (Greater Accra) -The Serious Fraud Office says it has discovered some fraudulent acts in the accounting system of the Afram Plains District Assembly, resulting in the loss of 13.1 million cedis to the state.

The SFO said it found out during its investigations that nine million cedis originally meant for the purchase of roofing sheets by the Afram Plains District Assembly had been diverted by the District Financial Officer for his own private purposes.

The amount is part of the MP's share of the district assembly common fund. According to the 1999 Annual Report submitted to the President and Parliament, the money was collected in the name of one Lucakoff Enterprise owned by the district finance officer.

It said even though the documentation was correct, the items never reached the schools in the Dwarf Islands where they were meant for. The Report said in a similar development, an amount of 4.1 million cedis allotted to buy black and white television sets and antenna for the people of Didja, also in the Afram Plains, was also diverted for other purposes. "One supplier, SAMBADOS Enterprise, collected the money but the items were not supplied."

The Report, however, said the 4.1 million cedis has been recovered and paid back to the district assembly with the directive that proper procurement procedures be put in place to avoid any further occurrence.