Audit Flags Major Cash-Handling Lapses and Pension Violations at Vashafaru Council

The 2022 compliance audit of the Vashafaru Council has uncovered serious lapses in cash handling and employee pension enrollment. The Auditor General’s Office reported that the council stored large sums of cash in its office instead of depositing the funds into its bank account as required. During the audit period, MVR 93,644 was found stored in the council office, with MVR 69,068 later discovered in a locker and an additional MVR 24,576 found in a paper box. The audit also revealed that the council failed to deposit revenue regularly in 2020 and 2022. Furthermore, some contract and wage employees were not enrolled in the pension scheme, and pension contributions were not deducted from their salaries, violating the Pensions Act. The report urged the council to address these issues promptly.