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The Honduran prosecutor’s office says it will open an official investigation against the government institution - National Registry of Persons (RNP) - for allegedly paying the members of the government’s National Institute of Professional Formation (INFOP) soccer players team to work a few hours a week at the RNP in order to pay the players with RNP government funds.
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The 25 Honduran soccer players are being paid with state funds to play for INFOP and compete within the national second division, Promotion League while working a few hours per week for the national registry doing menial work such as opening doors and making copies.
The RNP assistant director, Gerardo Martinez Lozano, is suspected of orchestrating the hiring the male soccer players to work within the registry which, according to local media, claims it’s underfunded.
"This case is about the abuse of power by authorities and the violation of responsibilities by RNP public servants,” said Lorena Calix from the prosecutor’s office.
Calix added "it’s premature to confirm any illicit acts, those who are found guilty will be prosecuted. The prosecutor's office will confirm any wrongdoing and will report to the Honduran society the investigation’s findings.”
National prosecutors announced its case against the registry today after the local newspaper, El Heraldo, ran an expose on the RNP team yesterday.
The Heraldo says that the RNP was paying out about $US 12,670.00 per month to players and their coach who didn’t have to show up on time to the registry and could take the morning off after a previous night’s game.
An anonymous soccer team member who moonlights as an NPR employee tells El Heraldo, “It’s an arrangement” where soccer players are allowed to show up late to work after finishing morning training. The player added that “the (NPR) directors give them an extra bonus for good results.”
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