Students ‘hit by scholarships scam’
June 27, 2006 - Posted in ScholarshipA MAN appeared in court yesterday accused of swindling Bahraini students out of thousands of dinars in British Council scholarships. A court-appointed expert is to investigate allegations that the fraud may involve up to BD150,000.
The 40-year-old Bahraini was released on his own guarantee yesterday, after denying charges of breach of trust, embezzlement and forgery, in the Lower Criminal Court.
The court adjourned the case until October 30, to deputise an expert to investigate.
It is alleged that the former British Council employee redirected funds meant for scholarships to other Bahraini students abroad, who were not entitled to the money.
He is also accused of milking funds for his own benefit, under allegations sparked by a query in July 2004, from a Bahraini woman in the UK, whose relative had been promised a scholarship.
Investigations with a university in Newcastle revealed several irregularities with regard to scholarship funding, the court heard.
The British Council immediately recalled the defendant from abroad, where he had gone on official business.
He was suspended for two weeks pending further investigation and dismissed in August 2004, after 24 years with the council, the court heard.
The council then filed a complaint with police.
Investigations revealed that a receipt book had vanished and that the defendant had pocketed seven payments made to the council, totalling BD7,974.
But lawyers for the council believe that up to BD150,000 may have been embezzled, according to records filed with the court.
The defendant is accused of diverting payments to non-deserving Bahraini students in universities in UK, away from the students they were awarded to. This meant that deserving students, who were selected on merit, did not get the scholarship funds, the court heard. It is also alleged that the defendant forged scholarship documents issued by the British ambassador.
Source: www.gulf-daily-news.com