By Okey Alozie
A financial officer (Cashier) working in the Ministry of Livestock in Imo State is now said to be on the run over the allegation of financial fraud and misconduct in office.
The Cashier whose names are withheld for now is being accused of siphoning government and diversion of revenue that belong to Government to his own personal use.
A source from the Ministry of Livestock revealed that the cashier has become an instrument of destruction to the Ministry.
Report has it that the cashier was authorized by the Ministry to pay N9.750, 000 to a supplier who was engaged through direct labour to supply birds and feeds for Acharauba farm project at Emekuku, Owerri North LGA. Rather he made the transfer to the contractor and on the 24th of March 2023, the cashier forged the signature of the Director of Account of the Ministry and replicated the transfer he made by signing two extra cheques of nine million seven hundred and fifty thousand naira (N9.750,000) each totaling nineteen million five hundred thousand naira (N19.500,000) which is planned to transfer out the Ministry’s account. He had succeeded in making the first transfer of N9,750,000, when the Commissioner got the alarm and invited the director of Accounts the D.A in turn called the Cashier on the phone and asked what was going on.
The Cashier was said to have collected a lot of IGR money including rents and refused to pay those money he collected into the TSA (Treasury Single Account) and this according to our source has placed the Ministry to a bad light.
Since March ending he left the office after forging the Director of Accounts signature just to quickly get approval from the Perm Sec after which he was said to have disappeared and uptil now has not returned to office rather he choose to fight his office from his hideout as we gathered.
We further gathered that the Ministry has made a formal report about his fraudulent activities and alleged disappearance to the police, who are now handling the matter.
