The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Monday arrested 2 individuals for the suspected theft of bursary funds amounting to Ksh296 million in the West Pokot County Government.
The 2 are among 4 suspects accused of stealing the money during the period between the financial years 2017/2018 and 2021/2022.
They are currently being processed at the EACC North Rift Regional Offices after which they will be detained at the Eldoret Central position.
Their arraignment has been set for Tuesday, September 24, at 9:00 am where they are expected to appear before the Eldoret Anti-Corruption Court.
Investigations by EACC leading up to the arrest started upon receipt of a complaint that officials in the county government had been involved in the hatching and execution of a fraudulent scheme that led to the embezzlement of Ksh212 million.
The departments known to have suffered the brunt of this fraud are the county bursary, education, and infrastructure fund.
However, upon the conclusion of the investigations, the commission concluded that the embezzled funds were Ksh296 million and not Ksh212 million as previously thought.
They established that a non-existent committee for County Bursary, education development and infrastructure (CBC) had been formed and members were fraudulently withdrawing money in its name and faking meeting minutes to cover their tracks.
All 4 suspects were then charged with a flurry of corruption offenses including; conspiracy to commit an offense of corruption contrary to section 47A(3) as read with 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act 2003 and willful failure to comply with the applicable procedures and guidelines relating to procurement and management of public funds.
Other charges they are to face are; abuse of office, fraudulent acquisition of public property, creating a contract without an award, unlawfully signing a contract, making false documents, uttering false documents, and false accounting.
All the funds embezzled were meant to help needy students in the county.
As for the other two yet to be captured, the commission advised they report to the EACC North Rift Regional Office in Eldoret immediately or before Tuesday September 24.
They are believed to have gone into hiding.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE
