Dhidhdhoo Council SG and husband suspected of sending forged documents to Audit Office

ADh. Dhidhdhoo council's secretariat has alleged its Secretary General and her husband sent forged bank statements to the Auditor General's Office.

In the 'ADh. Dhidhdhoo Council's Compliance Audit Report 2022', Auditor General's Office said the financial statements of the IT and financial consultant submitted by the council were forged.

The report also highlights that MVR 5,500 from the cash held in the council's safe on August 3, 2022, was not deposited to the council's bank account.

Upon inquiry, the council claimed that undeposited amount was portion of an MVR 25,000 payment settled by a private party. The council said the additional MVR 19,500 deposited to the account was rent.

However, the Audit Office discovered the MVR 25,000 payment was an aid.

The council later claimed this amount was deposited to the Secretary General's account by mistake, and presented the forged statement after claiming she will return the money.

The council said in a statement that its accounting and bookkeeping practices were inefficient at the time its members were elected. In the statement, the council also noted that it failed to attract an SG, which was a legal requirement for council bodies to operate, despite multiple job announcements. The council said it finally received an applicant after the authority pledged to cover accommodation costs for them.

The Secretary General officially assumed her position on February 14, 2022 and was provided accommodation for MVR 4,500 per month.

The council, under the guidance of the SG, expanded its workforce and revised its accounting and bookkeeping policies. Despite three announcements for the position, the role of IT and Financial Consultant received no applicants. Subsequently, the SG appointed her husband to the position, a decision made without the council’s approval.

The council in its statement added that the SG’s husband was appointed for role upon Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) approval. The council members repeatedly inquired if the SG’s husband was appointed after acquiring permission, but received no response which was revealed in the audit report.

“From the Audit Office review, it was discovered that the SG’s husband had credited MVR 138,517.99 from the council’s account to his personal bank account between May 21, 2023 and July 31, 2023,” the council’s statement read.

Following this revelation, the SG admitted to the malpractice in a meeting attended by all council members. It was also disclosed that she had previously provided false information to the council on multiple occasions.