Three senior officials at the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (M.E.S.C.) are among those suspended in relation to their alleged involvement in the February break-in at the Ministry headquarters at Leifiifi.
Money and assets belonging to the Ministry were stolen during the break-in on Saturday 22 February, 2014.
The confirmation came from the Chief Executive Officer, Matafeo Tanielu Aiafi, yesterday afternoon. He refused to name the officials who have been suspended.
He, however, confirmed that the suspended top position holders include an Assistant Chief Executive Officer (A.C.E.O.) and two Principal Officers.
Drivers employed by the Ministry have also been suspended in relation to the same matter, said Matafeo. He declined to give the number of drivers involved. But he said they are all suspended with pay.
“The decision to suspend them was made last week,” said Matafeo. How long they will be suspended is unknown.
The C.E.O. said the length of their suspensions can only be decided following the Police investigation and Court procedures by the Attorney General’s office.
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Matafeo said the suspension is a usual process undertaken by the Ministry when there is an allegation against any employee in such matters. The matter is now with the Ministry of Police, he said.
And “no one is yet guilty” until the decision is made by the Court. He also confirmed that no one has been “terminated” in relation to the alleged incident.
According to information obtained from Police following the break-in, suspects allegedly stole $5,000 from the Accounts office and $500 from another office. These monies were student tuition fees.
Another room broken-in to belonged to an Assistant Chief Executive officer.
The Museum of Samoa was also broken into where donation boxes were damaged and money inside taken. Police at the time could not determine how much money was in these boxes.
Aside from the monies stolen, three laptops were also taken from the school net office. Attempts to get comments regarding their investigation from Acting Police Commissioner, Fauono Talalelei Tapu, were unsuccessful.
He could not be reached for a comment by press time last night.
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