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Wednesday, July 3, 2024
MOGADISHU (HOL) – The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) of Somalia has uncovered a shocking case of embezzlement of government work permit and passport services. The forensic audit from March 8, 2018 to April 20, 2023 revealed a huge gap between the total revenue collected and the amount deposited into the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
The audit report showed that the total revenue from work permits and visa extensions was $33,370,260. However, only $12,437,690 was deposited with the TSA, showing an embezzlement of $20,932,570. Similarly, the passport services department had revenue of $41,804,998, but only $36,828,047 was deposited, showing a difference of $4,976,951.
The forensic audit has resulted in the conviction of 11 police officers for criminal offences. Their sentences range from one to nine years, which is a warning to the world. Some have been banned from government service for five years, while others have been banned permanently.
The violations were first discovered during the 2020 compliance audit for the 2019 fiscal year. This prompted the OAG to conduct a thorough investigation. The audit period extended from March 8, 2018 to April 20, 2023, and covered multiple areas of government revenue generation. The Attorney General’s Office charged a total of 22 officials, including 15 from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, three from the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank, and four from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
The audit found that monthly revenue from visa extensions and work permits increased significantly. Monthly revenue from visa extension services increased from $160,419.67 to $439,045. Monthly income from work permit services increased From $43,476.89 to $358,400.
Pursuant to section 45(3) of the Public Financial Management Act, the Office of the Auditor General (FRS) submits compliance and financial audit reports to both Houses of Parliament for the financial year ending 31 December 2023. These reports will be available on the OAG website (http://oag.gov.so), pursuant to section 10(1) of the OAG Act and section 45(4) of the PFM Act.
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