Invoices have indeed been tampered with on a large and structural scale in order to obtain unjustified subsidies for Let’s Go Urban. This would appear from an investigation of the vtm program Faroek. Sihame El Kaouakibi responded before the announcement in the vtm news with a video on Facebook in which she denies all accusations. Her lawyer is also clear: “There is no forgery.”
–
Open Vld politician Sihame El Kaouakibi and her youth organization Let’s Go Urban have been under fire for weeks. Various investigations are being conducted into fraud to loosen subsidies. According to journalist Faroek Özgünes, the fraud is even greater than expected. This must be evident from a series of invoices he received.
This must show that a total of 54,230 euros was charged to the city with forged invoices. Renovations were underway at the Urban Center, which is co-subsidizing the city of Antwerp, and at the same time at the Jacob Jorda house, which is run by the Point Urbain company, of which El Kaouakibi is co-owner. Invoices for renovation works in that JJ House would be according to Faroek forged and posted to the Urban Center address. Among other things, the new kitchen for the JJ House was invoiced to the city of Antwerp. “From detailed plans we see that the kitchen – worth 26,139 euros – was tailor-made for the Jorda house,” says journalist Faroek Özgunes.
“One-sided report”
El Kaouakibi reacts displeased on her Facebook page to Faroek’s allegations. “Perception seems more important than truth, and there seem to be no limits to following a proper process,” said El Kaouakibi.
In a response to Belga, El Kaouakibi’s lawyer, Mounir Souidi, said that the findings are part of a report by the provisional administrator of Let’s Go Urban, Annemie Moens. “A report that will soon be heard by the corporate court, but is already circulating in editorial offices, which is unacceptable,” he says. “This report is extremely one-sided, it presents assumptions as facts and contains important errors. These will be appropriately demonstrated to the competent authorities. ”
For example, Souidi says that “the adjustment of the delivery address is in line with the explanation already given that the products were given on loan to and placed in the JJ House, but were and remained the property of the non-profit organization”. They would eventually go there after the completion of the new Let’s Go Urban building. “This is also explicitly provided for in the loan agreement. This agreement leaves no doubt whatsoever about the fact that the purchased goods are and remain the property of the association. There is therefore no forgery and no way of averting subsidies. ”
Alderman of Youth Jinnih Beels (Vooruit) does not want to anticipate the investigation.
(joro, doro)
— .
