Point G University Hospital embezzled more than CFA 64 million: the perpetrators were sentenced separately

Three of them, all cashiers at the Point G University Hospital, are accused of embezzling an estimated amount of 64 million 103,390 FCFA in 2016. They are Alou Dembl, Dramane Kon and Baladji Tour. On Friday, July 19, Dramane Kon and Baladji Tour appeared before the Circuit Court at a special session on economic and financial crimes for damaging public property. They were sentenced to separate terms, with Dramane Kon receiving a suspended sentence of 5 years and a fine of 50,000 FCFA. Baladji Tour received a suspended sentence of 1 year and a fine of 20,000 FCFA. As for Alou Dembl, who was tried in absentia, he was sentenced in absentia to 20 years of criminal imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 CFA francs.

The cashiers accused of embezzling funds from CHU Point G met their fate on Friday, July 19, 2024. Alou Dembl, Dramane Kon and Baladji Tour were accused of embezzling funds totaling 64 million 103,390 FCFA from CHU Point G during 2016.

fact

In 2016, the Minister of Health inspected and found financial anomalies in the Nephrology Department of the G-Point University Hospital Center (CHU), and the Vice-President of the hospital instructed Yacouba Sylla, the accounting officer, to audit the financial situation of the hospital. Therefore, after in-depth verification, it was determined that these anomalies were actually just acts of embezzlement, which led to the embezzlement of a large amount of funds by cashiers Alou Dembl, Dramane Kon and Baladji Tour.

In fact, after auditing the financial accounts of the departments in the management software, we noticed that the picture presented to the General Administration was different from that presented by the head of the registration office. The modus operandi of the persons involved consisted in falsifying receipt data at the hospital entrance office, providing two receipts that corresponded to the cost of the services requested by the patient and modifying the amounts on the receipt stubs to reduce them. The nature of the services was recorded in the entries of the funds, and then they created the discrepancy. This is how they managed to steal a total of 64 million 103,390 FCFA or 40 million 574,455 FCFA from Alou Dembl, 20 million 210,195 FCFA from Dramane Kon and 3 million 318,740 FCFA from Baladji Tour.

Corruption to build a new house for oneself

The hospital’s accounting officer, Yacouba Sylla, brought these facts of embezzlement and financial corruption to the attention of the prosecutor of the High Court of the Third Commune of the Bamako region, in letter N008/DHPG-BAC dated 26 July 2016, in charge of the Economic and Financial Pole.

Thus, during the course of preliminary investigations, Alu Dembur could only admit all the facts with which he was accused when he was arrested. He specifically confirmed the operating procedures described by the accounting officer before revealing that the monies he had stolen to damage CHU Point G were to be used to build houses. It was Dramane Kon’s turn to make a full confession, but without taking the trouble to explain the modus operandi he adopted to achieve his end. As for Baladji Tour, he admitted the accuracy of the audit report of the accounting officer Yacouba Sylla regarding the amounts he was accused of embezzling. Moreover, Baladji repaid in full the amounts he had embezzled from the Public Treasury after declaring income declarations of N0080872 million CFA francs on October 12, 2016 and N0050531 million CFA francs on October 28, 2016, respectively.

Unequivocal accusation

Last Friday, July 19, two of them, namely, Dramane Kon and Baladji Tour, responded to the charge of attacking public property at the special session of the Circuit Court on economic and financial crimes. In the witness box, Dramane Kon admitted the facts. As an alibi, he put the blame on a certain Samak Antelope. According to him, it was the computer scientist of the hospital who encouraged him to subtract the income he shared with the latter. And he assured him that all traces would be wiped out. He admitted the facts while asking the court for forgiveness and asking for leniency.

Balaji Toor was also not charged with any crime. In his defence, he pointed out that he was new to the job. “I used the embezzled money to fill the gaps in the cash register because I had not mastered the job yet and there were always gaps at the back of the account,” he admitted while asking the judge for leniency.

In the indictment, the prosecutor insisted that the defendant was guilty, while making it clear that the charges must be maintained.

The defense lawyers have the responsibility to plead mitigating circumstances for their clients. They believe that both Dramane Khan and Balaji deserve a second chance, especially the young Balaji. They expressed regret for the action.

In its verdict, the court found Dramane and Baladji guilty of violating public property, but granted them mitigating circumstances. For this, Dramane Kon was sentenced to five years’ suspended sentence and a fine of 50,000 francs. Baladji Tour was sentenced to one year’s suspended sentence and a fine of 20,000 francs. Alou Dembl was sentenced in absentia to 20 years’ criminal imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 francs, as he was tried in absentia.

To compensate for the damages caused to the state, the court awarded compensation for the sums embezzled by Alou, namely 40 million 574,455 FCFA and 20 million 210,195 FCFA to Dramane. Baladji is not worried because he repaid the money for him during the operation. As damages, Alou Dembl must pay 5 million CFA francs; Dramane Kon 2 million and Baladji Tour 200,000 FCFA.

Mariam Sissoko

Source: Le Sursaut