Tokushima –
The mayor of Awa City in Tokushima Prefecture and two other people have been arrested on suspicion of defrauding the municipal government of 3.5 million yen by inflating the cost of a city contract to cover vehicle repair expenses arising from an accident caused by the mayor, prompting police to search city hall on November 10th.
The suspects include Awa Mayor Hisato Machida, 69, who is accused of adding expenses, including the cost of repairing a vehicle damaged in an accident he caused, to the contract price of a cable network project commissioned by the city.
According to police, Machida and the two other suspects allegedly arranged the inflated contract in May 2024, resulting in the city paying an additional 3.5 million yen under the guise of legitimate project expenses.
Police launched a search of Awa City Hall shortly after 6 p.m. on November 10th, deploying approximately 10 investigators to examine evidence related to the suspected fraud.
Awa Deputy Mayor Manabu Yasumaru apologized following the arrests, saying, “I would like to apologize for the arrests of the mayor and the others. At this point, that is all I can say.”
Police have not disclosed whether Machida or the other suspects have admitted to or denied the allegations.
Source: TBS
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