Former SSB Paymaster Arrested in $39,000 Payroll Fraud Scheme

A former paymaster at the Salary Service Bureau (SSB), Brighton Chiuzingo, has been arrested for allegedly operating a secret payroll racket that siphoned $39,000 from state coffers. Prosecutors claim Chiuzingo exploited his position to inflate his own salary and create ghost employees, highlighting deep-seated vulnerabilities within the civil service payroll system. The arrest serves as a warning to other officials, yet questions remain about the efficacy of internal controls. This localized criminal prosecution underscores the persistent challenge of corruption in state financial management. The incident highlights systemic weaknesses in the payroll system that continue to drain state resources and undermine fiscal integrity.