BRIEFS. education

Fece investigation almost finished

la prensa

taken: Prosecutors say that 20 schools had crucial education funds stolen from them over a two-year period.1116022

Anti-corruption prosecutor Mercedes de León said that the investigation into the theft of $1.5 million from the FECE program, which seeks to improve the country's schools, is almost complete.

The prosecutor said that 20 schools in San Miguelito were impacted by the thefts, which took place between August 2005 and October 2007. So far, investigators have made 26 arrests, and plan to take another 12 people into custody.

The investigation found that, in many cases, checks were issued for equipment that was never delivered to the schools. Investigators discovered some 468 checks that were issued improperly, including 415 that had forged signatures.

Sources within the Public Ministry said that four people who remain at large in the case, Edgardo Sevilla Sánchez, Javier Durango, Esteban Lazo Vergara and Víctor Modesto Bristán, were responsible for stealing an estimated $640,000 from the program.