Federal audit body detects Dh60m fraud

SAI FILES CASE AGAINST EMPLOYEE WHO MISUSED PUBLIC PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS

Case filed with judicial authorities to take action against suspects involved in irregularities in public procurement contracts |

The State Audit Institution (SAI), an independent federal watchdog set up in 1976, uncovered financial irregularities to the tune of over Dh60 million, it was announced yesterday.

The SAI’s Anti-Corruption Department detected irregularities in public procurement contracts and discrepancies in payments. Financial analysis and investigations revealed that an employee along with his accomplices gave procurement contracts to his own company. The employee cleared payments using forged documents and illegally disbursed over Dh60 million.

The SAI filed a case with judicial authorities to take legal action against the suspects and demanded refund of the money to the public treasury.

The watchdog’s president, Dr Hareb Saeed Al Amimi, said that the protection of public funds is the duty of every member of the community and a trust each public employee has to fulfil.

He affirmed that the UAE government has realised early the negative effects of corruption

and its consequences of undermining the rule of law, violation of human rights, disrupting development plans and preventing access to the rights and benefits of citizens.

The government has decided to complete and enact legislation regulating the work of government institutions and departments in order to supplement the means of preventing and combating financial corruption and to immunise official practices in the public sector against the effects of harmful corruption.