Suspended SINU staff deny involvement in alleged $3.3 million scam at the end of 14-day response deadline
FIVE Solomon Islands National University [SINU] staff accused of milking the University of some $3.3 million in printing works have responded by denying any involvement in the alleged scam.
Vice Chancellor Professor Transform Aqorau confirmed this yesterday at the end of a 14-day deadline by the staff were to respond. That deadline lapsed on Monday this week.
“All of them deny any involvement, all 5,” Professor Aqorau said yesterday.
Two of the staff have engaged a lawyer to fight the allegations, but they too have not admitted any wrong.
The two are using what Professor Aqorau described as “legal means to simply delay things but they have not admitted any wrong.”
“So, I think you can report that all of them have denied any wrongdoing.”
No termination letters have been issued at this stage although that could be the result when the extra 7 working days lapsed next week.
On 14 June SINU announced that it suspended five senior staff for their alleged involvement in fraud activities which cost SINU some $3.3 million in printing works by Wakaman Inc. – a company which does not even own a printing machine.
“Following a thorough investigation that spanned seven months, SINU has suspended five staff members implicated in the alleged fraudulent practices. The investigation, initiated in December 2022, was prompted by reports of irregularities and financial discrepancies related to printing services provided by Wakaman Inc, a company that does not [even) own a printing machine,” Professor Aqorau said.
The initial inquiry investigated only the 2022 transactions which involved 77 purchase vouchers for a total of $3.3 million that was spent to this company that does not own a printing machine, let alone a printer,” SINU said.
Professor Aqorau said that the time SINU, committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability, took the allegations seriously and launched a comprehensive inquiry into the matter.
The allegations are:
- Wakaman Inc alleged was a company established purposely to defraud SINU funds;
- Wakaman inflated the pricing of goods and/or services above those which competitors were charging and, on occasion, only partly delivered goods and or services or delivered no goods or services to SINU;
- In respect to the procurement and printing of the DU 800 courses booklets, allegedly at the request of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic), it is alleged that the number of booklets requested for payment exceeded the number of booklets printed and delivered by Wakaman Inc.’;
- In respect to the procurement and printing of NUR Courses booklet allegedly requested by the Dean of the Faculty of Nursing, Health, and Medical Sciences, it is alleged that (the) number of booklets requested for payment exceeded the number of booklets printed and delivered by Wakaman Inc.;
- It was alleged that a number of the third-party quotations from suppliers that were obtained as part of the procurement process involving Wakaman Inc were fake and furthermore that these quotations were manufactured and supplied by Wakaman to SINU officers as part of a flawed procurement process;
- That the procurement and printing of COVID-19 related posters allegedly raised by the Secretary of the SINU COVID-19 Committee allegedly with the Acting Director Properties and Facilities, was a flawed process and resulted in losses to SINU.
- That the Senior Marketing & Promotions Officer allegedly helped to facilitate the requests for payments to Wakaman Inc.;
- That the Finance Logistic/Revenue Enforcement Officer allegedly assisted with the facilitation of fast-track payments for allegedly fraudulent claims by Wakaman Inc.;
- That the Wakaman Inc payments never went through the established process via the procurement unit for procurement check as per SINU Procurement policy;
- Wakaman Inc Payments alleged never went through the established compliance checks for budgeting, quotation, and other payment compliance checks as per SINU Procurement and Finance policy; and
- That payments for Wakaman Inc were raised and paid in either half or one day.
Professor Aqorau said as a result of the investigation, evidence was uncovered suggesting the involvement of certain staff members in fraudulent activities pertaining to printing contracts awarded to Wakaman Inc.
“In light of the seriousness of the allegations and the potential violation of SINU’s code of conduct, the decision to suspend the implicated staff members has been made pending the completion of the investigation.”
By Alfred Sasako
