Federal Integrity Commission Apprehends Accountant in Ninawa Education for Embezzling Phantom Employee Salaries Over Six Years

The Federal Integrity Commission announced Saturday the apprehension of an accountant within a department of the Ninawa General Directorate of Education. He is accused of disbursing salaries to a "phantom" employee and embezzling them for personal gain over six years. Commission investigations revealed the accused, an accountant in Al-Hadar Education Department in Al-Qayyarah, disbursed these salaries from late 2017 until 2023. He claimed the employee was transferred from the Ministry of Education's Erbil representation to Al-Hadar, keeping the amounts for himself. Further inquiry and audit procedures exposed no official appointment order for the employee at Al-Hadar Education, nor security clearance from Ninawa Education Directorate's permits division. Records also lacked any initial documents or official papers proving the employee's existence or transfer, ultimately uncovering the illicit salary disbursement and embezzlement. The Commission prepared an official seizure report and presented the accused, with seized items, before the Ninawa investigative court judge specializing in integrity cases, who ordered his detention under Article 315 of the Penal Code.