2023-09-30 17:40:00
For more than two years, Bpost overcharged the FPS Justice 100,000 euros in rent per MONTH instead of per YEAR for the rental of offices. The error was known to Bpost management at the time, but was never reported, report our colleagues at The time.
The president of the company’s board of directors, Audrey Hanard, had already admitted last week, without going into details, that irregularities had taken place in the invoicing of rents for the Crossborder service, a platform of Justice and the police for the collection of traffic fines at European level. Bpost has been in charge of its administrative and financial processes for years.
2.2 million euros too much for 2 years
The Flemish financial daily has now been able to establish that Justice spent two and a half years 1.2 million euros per year for the rent of Crossborder’s offices in the Monnaie center in Brussels, instead of 100,000 euros. This represents 2.2 million euros too much for two years. A price per square meter per year had been established, but on the invoice, it was the price per square meter per month.
“Bpost’s lawyers sent the FPS Justice lawyers last week the internal audit report at Bpost. And that’s where, in the 75 pages, it turned out that there were possible irregularities”explains Christine-Laura Kouassi, spokesperson for the Federal Public Service Justice.
In the report, there are elements missing, particularly in the 204 pages of annexes. The FPS has put the postal service on notice. “We would like greater clarity, transparency so that we can take the necessary measures”continues the spokesperson for the Federal Public Service Justice.
The fault was discovered in 2022
When Crossborder services moved to another Bpost building at the beginning of 2022 for a much lower rent, the fault was discovered, but not reported to Justice. When former CEO Dirk Tirez was removed from office, he forwarded information regarding this irregularity to his private email address. Neither the FPS Justice nor the Finance Inspectorate had noticed the error.
The postal company did not wish to respond to our request for an interview.
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