Pension fraud involving millions uncovered

The Pensions Department has initiated an investigation to probe a fraud of several million rupees in the payment of pensions in the pension branch of the Warakapola Divisional Secretariat Office.

This fraud had allegedly been committed by a female officer by preparing numerous fraudulent payments of pension arrears in names of pensioners who are not entitled to payment arrears during the past few years, an investigation carried out by the Internal Audit Branch of the Pensions Department on Friday(6) had revealed, an officer said yesterday(8).

It was thought that the officer in question had prepared false documents showing the payment of arrears and had credited the amount to the accounts of her relatives.Disciplinary action was to be taken against the relevant officer and matter would be handed over to the CID, he said.

The suspect had initially served in the Kegalle Divisional Secretariat Pension Branch from 2009 to 2011 before assuming duties at the Warakapola DS office. She had allegedly carried out the same fraud in her previous place of work, the investigations had revealed.

After the detection of the fraud the female officer was alleged to have left her residence and gone to another district with her husband who was said to be a Grama Niladhari of the area.