Former managers of Immigrants’ Support get suspended prison sentences

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The former managers of Immigrants’ Support in Finland, an association offering counselling and advice to refugee associations in Espoo, were handed suspended prison sentences at the Helsinki District Court on Friday.
      The former Chairman of the Board and the Executive Manager were both found guilty of misusing financial aid granted by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs over the period from 2001 to 2004.
     
According tho the court, the misuse involved approximately EUR 21,000, which had been used to pay tax debts, salaries, and taxi rides.
      The amount of money is a little less than one-sixth of a subsidy that had been granted for a family & community rehabilitation project in the Philippines. The funds were to be used to abolish child prostitution, to promote equality, and to reduce poverty in the country.
     
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs demands that the former managers of the association will have to pay back approximately EUR 140,000. The ministry presented a list of alleged discrepancies relating to the Philippines and Somalia.
      However, the court dismissed the indictment in the Somalia case as the limitation period had already expired.
      As for the Philippines, comprehensive evidence to cover all suspected fraudulent practices could not be produced.
      The defendants pleaded not guilty.
     
The former Chairman of the Board was handed a suspended five-month prison sentence for the abuse of subsidies and for two accounting offences. The former Executive Manager was handed a suspended four-month prison sentence for the misuse of the financial aid, for an accounting offence, and for embezzlement of EUR 8,000 from the association’s accounts.


Links:
  Espoo: For immigrants
  Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Helsingin Sanomat