Corruption scandal rocks Somalia's Info. Ministry as senior director flees country

Visits: 1408
(Rating 0.0/5 Stars) Total Votes: 0
0 0
Share via Social Media

Corruption scandal rocks Somalia's Info. Ministry as senior director flees country

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – The Director of Administration and Finance at the Ministry of Information of Somalia's Federal Government, Abdinasir Hussein, has reportedly fled the country amidst an ongoing corruption investigation, while Pre

Share

Abdinasir Hussein, the Director of Administration and Finance at the Ministry of Information.

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – The Director of Administration and Finance at the Ministry of Information of Somalia's Federal Government, Abdinasir Hussein, has reportedly fled the country amidst an ongoing corruption investigation, while President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announces the imminent arrest of more officials involved in the scandal.

Sources within the ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed as quoted by Kaab TV "stunning development."

According to insiders, Abdinasir Hussein left Somalia discreetly upon learning about the investigation conducted by the Office of the Auditor General, although he had not been placed under any form of restriction. Presently, he is believed to be residing in England.

The Attorney General’s Office, when contacted for comment, declined to disclose any specific details pertaining to the investigation. Similarly, Abdullahi Hayir Duale, the Director General of the Ministry of Information, refused to provide any statements, citing the ongoing nature of the inquiry.

The allegations of corruption emerged amidst reports of millions of dollars going missing from the Ministry of Information accounts. These funds include registration fees that were collected by the ministry using unauthorized receipt vouchers, without approval from the Accountant General. A Ministry of Finance official confirmed that no funds generated by the Ministry of Information had been deposited into the national treasury whatsoever.

Furthermore, the Office of the Auditor General has launched an investigation into the collection of fees from foreign journalists entering the country.

Sources we interviewed and documents indicate that the ministry has been charging fees ranging from $200 to $300 per person for permission granted to foreign journalists. This aspect of the investigation aims to shed light on potential irregularities in the fee collection process.

Anonymous sources within the Ministry of Information’s Office of Human Resources have also come forward with additional allegations. They claim that over the past decade, approximately half of the ministry’s budget has not been utilized for its intended operational purposes. Instead, these funds have allegedly been diverted by senior officials while majority of the staff at the ministry were non-regular staff and were not paid.

Farah Dharar, the former Director of the state television (SNTV), echoed these concerns, emphasizing the urgent need to rectify major flaws undermining the ministry’s work. Dharar highlighted the misappropriation of funds designated for the annual subscription of SNTV’s satellite services, which includes two channels: SNTV and SNTV2 (now SNTV Daljir). The funds allocated for this purpose have allegedly been siphoned off by high-ranking officials.

Adding to the growing scandal, local media recently reported the theft of valuable equipment from the Ministry of Information’s headquarters. The stolen items include three Sonny PXW-Z150 4K XDCAM CAMRECORDER cameras and three Blackmagic Studio Camera HD cameras. These equipment donations were provided by the Finland through the VIKES Foundation, affiliated with the Ministry of Information. Reports suggest that the stolen equipment is being utilized at a private studio called ‘Wali Media Production’ in Mogadishu’s Waberi district. The estimated value of the stolen devices amounts to tens of thousands of dollars.

The gravity of the corruption scandal became apparent on June 22 when the Attorney General’s office announced the arrest of two officials from the Ministry of Information, along with a senior military officer. The charges against them include fraud spanning a decade-long embezzlement of public funds, and the illicit sale of fuel and FM radio transmitters dating back to 2012.

Addressing the nation at the presidential mosque on Friday, President Mohamud emphasized that while some individuals have already been apprehended, many more would be arrested in connection with the corruption scandal.

He issued a stern warning to those attempting to flee the country, stating, "Unless you are thieves, I urge those who are leaving the country to stay. If you have not stolen anything, there is no reason to run away.”

(Source: Story first published by Kaab TV)