Three Ghanaian diplomats in the United States suspended for embezzling funds | General news

The Foreign Ministry has sentenced three officers to Ghana's mission in New York, USA, for embezzling funds.

Their actions caused a loss of income of more than two thousand dollars to the consulate.

According to industry minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, officials were cited for fraudulent behavior by a disciplinary committee of four men.

In response to questions from Parliament, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway said that the agents had been suspended without pay for two to six months and had been asked to repay the amount.

"The three officers were also forced to repay the misappropriated funds and they did not receive any salary during the suspension period. This decision was also based on the fact that the evidence was circumstantial in nature. "

A repetition of events?

Ghanaian diplomats have reportedly been involved in similar cases.

A former accountant at the Ghana Mission in Lusaka, Zambia, recently reported in the Auditor General's report that he had embezzled $ 160,640 and € 29,332.00, the equivalent in cedi of 723 425.06 GH, in violation of Regulation 2 of 2004 of the Financial Administration Management Regulation LI1802.

It is expected that it will cost an amount of 191 481.08 GHc, of which more than 720 000 GHc belonging to the mission that he would have diverted, as well as 468 000 GHc in surcharges.

Ghana Mission to Angola: The Accountant deviates 64,655.00 EUR and 87,534.00 USD

The audit report also revealed that Ghana had lost an amount equivalent to 531,616.75 GHPS, which would have been hijacked by a former accountant of the country's mission in Luanda, Angola.

"During the audit of the accounts of the Ghana Mission in Luanda, Angola, for the period from June 2012 to December 31, 2014, Mr. King Pratt Ainooson, the mission's accountant, had embezzled 64 655.00 € and 87 534,00 USD, the equivalent of GH. 531 616.75 contrary to Rule 2 of the Financial Administration Regulation 2004, LI 1802. "

The audit report indicated that Mr Pratt had acknowledged the infringement and signed on 9 December 2014 an undertaking to reimburse the misappropriated amount in monthly installments of € 3,500.00. 13

"The Auditor General has rejected the principal amount misappropriated from GH 531,616.75 and has overloaded it with GH 343,956.04, bringing the total amount of the rebate to GH 875,572.79," adds the report. d & # 39; audit.