NI Audit Office criticises education board's fraud prevention measures

A Northern Ireland Audit Office report has criticised the way building and maintenance jobs were run by the Belfast Education and Library Board, the BBC reported on its web site.

The report said the board failed to protect itself against the risk of fraud.
Practices in the board since the 1990s led to allegations of price-fixing, bribery and favouritism in the awarding of contracts to building firms, the BBC said.

They were investigated and some of the allegations found to be true.
Although no criminal charges were brought, some staff were disciplined, the BBC added.

The audit office also looked at building work in libraries which had been badly done or not carried out at all.

The Audit Office said the key to preventing fraud was to check invoices and physically examine the work done before paying for it.

Investigators said the absence of documentation meant prosecutions were unlikely to succeed.

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NI Audit Office hits out at board