Three officials from the Chamber of Commerce of Mali were charged and imprisoned on Wednesday in Bamako for "misappropriation of public funds" , in connection with the management of an anti-Covid-19 fund of approximately 15 million euros.
The three people placed in detention are Youssouf Bathily , president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Mali (CCIM), the secretary general of this institution Cheick Oumar Camara and the accountant, Lamine Sacko , a source at the court of commune 3 of Bamako told AFP.
The three officials arrested are suspected of mismanagement of a fund of more than 10 billion FCFA, or about 15 million euros, linked to the fight against Covid-19 , this source told the prosecutor's office, without further details.
The CCIM is headquartered in Bamako. Its mission is the professional organization and representation of individuals and legal entities operating in the various branches of commercial, industrial and service activities, according to its information website.
Mali, which has been ruled by the military since a coup in August 2020, was ranked 136th out of 180 countries in 2021 on the corruption index by the specialized organization Transparency International .
Many officials in sub-Saharan Africa are suspected of embezzling or mismanaging funds allocated to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in Cameroon , Guinea and South Africa .
