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SAI reports 115 cases of public funds misuse

13 Oct 2024 SAI reports 115 cases of public funds misuse By OUR CORRESPONDENT

Muscat – State Audit Institution (SAI) has announced that 115 cases of misuse of public funds were addressed in 2023. For these, convictions ranged from one month to ten years, with fines as high as RO63,000. The violations included bribery, forgery, embezzlement, abuse of office, and conflict of interest. Of these, 28 cases were referred to the Public Prosecution, while 22 are under investigation.

SAI received a total of 951 complaints, 87% of which were resolved. These included financial and administrative violations, employee grievances and cases of abuse of authority. SAI reported that inspections it carried out in 2023 resulted in recovery of approximately RO177.7mn for the public treasury, including RO95mn collected in 2023 and RO82.7mn in 2022.

The report highlighted SAI’s efforts to enhance transparency and accountability across government units, investments and companies under its supervision. During the year, the institution conducted 187 inspections and issued 185 reports, making over 2,600 observations. Key areas of inspection included tax collection, corporate income tax and social housing projects.

Ahmed bin Salem al Rujaibi, Deputy Chairman of SAI

SAI also evaluated school readiness for the 2022/2023 academic year and examined various tourism licences and strategic programmes.

On the corporate front, financial audits were carried out at companies engaged in sectors such as oil, gas, electricity and wastewater. SAI also reviewed several operational contracts, including those related to Petroleum Development Oman and Oman Investment Authority.

In a statement, Ahmed bin Salem al Rujaibi, Deputy Chairman of SAI,  emphasised the importance of the institution’s role in enhancing transparency and promoting integrity in public institutions. He highlighted SAI’s continuous efforts to protect public funds and ensure accountability through media outreach, seminars and community programmes.

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