Speaking on Sunday in Kinshasa, Budget Minister Michel Bongongo said the funds were embezzled in Equateur, Central Kongo, Bandundu and Kasai provinces.
Regarding the salaries, investigations had shown that double payments were effected for some employees while dead employees or those who deserted duty were also still on the payroll.
“In Kongo Central province, we have 547 employees who are recognized by the state and whose names feature on the payroll, but 510 of them are fictitious,” the budget minister said.
Bongongo said the government had decided to take administrative measures to punish those who were involved in the embezzlement. “Several people who were involved in this scandal will appear in court and will soon be heading to prison,” the minister vowed.
Since the start of the year, several cases of embezzlement of public funds have been highlighted in public institutions across the country.
Last month, an official from DR Congo’s foreign ministry disappeared with close to two million dollars and he has not been traced so far. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
