Somalia’s central bank says a bank teller is on the run after stealing $530,000 in a month-long scam that replaced real cash with fake bills.
Bank governor Bashir Isse told reporters Thursday that Muhyadin Mohamed Hassan deposited fake Somali notes and took U.S. dollars.
Isse says the man is being hunted by security forces.
The news comes after recent warnings against officials taking advantage of the country’s political transition to steal public funds ahead of a presidential election set for Oct. 30.
Somalia has been ranked as one of the world’s most corrupt countries. Corrupt officials often escape public scrutiny and prosecution as this Horn of Africa recovers from decades of war.
