TOKUSHIMA (TR) – The mayor of Awa City was sent to the Tokushima District Public Prosecutors Office on Wednesday following his arrest on suspicion of fraud, reports Nippon News Network (Nov. 11).
Hisato Machida, 69, was taken into custody alongside two other men over allegations that they inflated costs for a municipal cable network project.
According to police, the trio allegedly padded invoices related to city-contracted construction work, siphoning off 3.5 million yen in the process.
Investigators believe the illicit funds were used to cover the repair costs of a vehicle involved in an accident previously caused by Machida himself.
Police have declined to reveal whether the mayor or his two accomplices have admitted to the allegations, stating that doing so could jeopardize the ongoing investigation.
Machida, who appeared stoic and slightly dejected as he was transported to the prosecutor’s office, now faces scrutiny over the misuse of public coffers for personal expenses.
