Mississippi Code Title 7. Executive Department § 7-7-69

It shall be the further duty of the state auditor and he shall have the authority to examine the records, minutes, and allowances of the various boards of supervisors, drainage boards, and all other boards empowered to make allowances of public money under the laws of the state. He shall give notice to such boards of any errors in accounting, of funds credited to any erroneous account, and of funds in public treasuries to an erroneous account; and unless such board shall within thirty (30) days correct such errors or omissions, the members thereof shall be guilty of misfeasance of office and punished accordingly. Should the state auditor discover that any of the boards mentioned in the preceding parts of this section have appropriated any money to the purpose not authorized by law, he shall have authority to bring suit for the amount of such illegal allowance or allowances against the members of such board voting for such illegal allowance on their official bond and against the party receiving such allowance. In the event of recovery, he shall be entitled to recover the amount due, which shall be paid into the fund to which it is due; and he may assess a penalty thereon not to exceed twenty percent (20%), which shall be paid into the general fund in the state treasury.