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The case, titled “ONEA Trial against Fraudulent Users”, opened on Saturday, August 17, 2024 at the Ouaga 1 High Court (TGI Ouaga 1).
The hearing of the National Water and Sanitation Office (ONEA) for alleged fraud against users, initially postponed to August 20, 2024, was held in a special session on Saturday, August 17, 2024. Five people, all male, were indicted by the national water company for forgery and use of forgery in public writing, forgery of state seals and money laundering. One of the accused is a worker at ONEA, while another is a construction electrician and plumber.
The Defendant
MI is an electrical engineering student. In March 2024, ONEA came to remove his water meter. In response to the judge’s questions, he explained the process that allowed him to get water without a meter. It was one evening in June 2024. The next morning, according to his testimony, the National Gendarmerie and ONEA agents came. According to the civil party, the defendant bypassed the ONEA inviolability device.
BG is a former ONEA service provider. He was given 150,000 FCFA to pay his bills. Noting that this amount could not cover all the outstandings, he decided to opt for “another solution”. He purchased an unapproved meter known as an “underground meter”. The cost of purchasing the meter and equipment was less than 50,000 FCFA. He informed the lessor’s son, SO, that there was 100,000 FCFA left. He said he had financial problems so he would keep 50,000 FCFA for himself and would hand over 50,000 FCFA. As a result, users in the yard consumed water without ONEA’s knowledge. According to BG, it lasted from Friday to Monday
CI was born in 1968 and is the oldest of the five defendants. He hired IS to connect the water to his home after ONEA removed the meter for arrears of more than 375,000 FCFA. He admitted to paying IS 15,000 CFA for his services. IS is a laborer. After ONEA removed the meter, he connected the tap. On the witness stand, he admitted that he violated ONEA’s inviolable water collection system by using a wrench. He also admitted that this was a prohibited practice. He said he installed the system on a Friday and ONEA came to the house the following Monday. He was paid 15,000 FCFA for the connection.
NP is a plumber. As far as he is concerned, ONEA did not come to remove his meter. On June 12, 2023, he took the initiative to remove the meter and reconnect it with a pipe. He recognized that this was prohibited. ONEA attorneys pointed out that the observation at NP’s home was conducted on June 14, 2023, so they were within the time frame.
Purchase Requisition
In his petition, the prosecutor asked for the reclassification of the facts of BG and IS to conspiracy to commit corruption. As for MI, CI and NP, he asked for their conviction. For MI, he asked for a sentence of 12 months in prison and 200,000 FCFA, all firm. As for BG, IS, CI and NP, the prosecutor asked for six months and 500,000 FCFA for each company.
Sentencing is scheduled for Saturday, August 24, 2024, at the Wagga High Court No. 1.
Fact reminder
It is noteworthy that five people have been charged for fraudulently reducing the water supply of the National Water and Sanitation Office (ONEA). These were presented at a press conference on June 27, 2024 by the Economic and Financial Unit of the Research Department of the Third Corps of the National Gendarmerie.
The financial losses of the five ONEA institutions in Ouagadougou are expected to exceed 150 million CFA francs by 2023, said Moussa Siemdé, regional director of the ONEA Centre.
Crispin Laventicki
Lefaso.net
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