DRC: Ministry of Primary Education accused of embezzling nearly $400,000

An aerial view of Kinshasa, DRC.

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2 mins

The Congolese Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education (EPST), is shaken by a scandal of financial embezzlement.

He is accused by the IGF of having embezzled nearly 400,000 dollars of funds allocated to the organization of the first school football championship in Africa, on February 19 and 20 in Kinshasa.

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With our correspondent in Kinshasa

,

Pascal Mulegwa

The facts were revealed on Saturday by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF).

Nearly 400,000 dollars, made available to the ministry by the Public Treasury, have been embezzled according to the IGF, which denounces the persistence of mismanagement.

For this school competition initiated by FIFA, the Congolese State provided funding of nearly one million dollars, of which 462,009 dollars were made available to the Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education.

According to Jules Alingete, about 380,000 dollars were siphoned off, in particular by overcharging for services.

“ 

The inspectors discovered that there are funds that have been justified under the pretext of having rented the Transco buses [public transport company].

The justification gives

$120,000 paid to Transco.

This invoice was sent to the company for certification.

This company rejects the authenticity of the invoice and informs that it was paid for

16,000 dollars, so there was tampering with the invoice issued by Transco

 ,” said Mr. Alingete.

“Of the $466,000, only $87,000 was used for the tournament”

The case does not stop there, according to Jules Alingete.

 The same is true of a supplier from whom they went to print t-shirts that the students had to wear to attend the stadium as supporters for the final.

Here too, the supplier decried the behavior of the agents of the EPST ministry, who multiplied the bill by ten

 ,” he adds.

“ 

The EPST minister's financial adviser produced a printing invoice for a total of $86,000.

Verification, made with the printer who sold, indicates that the invoice was falsified.

The actual amount paid was $18,000.

The inspectors interviewed these officers.

The facts were blatant.

They decided to transfer the files so that the judicial authorities take care of them

 ”, explains the director of the IGF.

Other cases of embezzlement have been noted, says Mr. Alingete.

In total, out of the 466,000

dollars, only 87,000

dollars were actually used for the tournament, and the rest was embezzled by members of the EPST minister's cabinet

,” he assures us.

These remarks by the public finance policeman are deemed " 

reckless

 " and " 

incomprehensible

 ", in a letter from Eddy Mwanzo, the chief of staff of the Minister of EPST.

According to him, these accusations clearly demonstrate " 

the relentlessness and lack of objectivity that characterize

 " the investigation.

He accuses the head of the IGF of having a " 

hidden agenda

 " against the Minister of EPST, while announcing his intention to bring the case to justice.

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