The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has obtained orders to recover over Ksh12 million from a former political advisor to former Taita Taveta Governor John Murutu.
According to the EACC chairperson Abdi Mohamud, the significant war on corruption was achieved after the commission successfully challenged a case in court where the former county official was charged.
The official was charged before Voi Chief Magistrate Mildred Obura where he was found guilty of misappropriating imprest—a form of advance public funds meant for official expenses—by transferring it to himself from the allowances of the members of the Taita Taveta County Assembly.
It was further established that the claimed activities were fictitious and as a result, the withdrawn funds were never used for their intended purposes.
”In a judgment delivered by Voi Chief Magistrate Hon. Mildred Obura, the Court found that (the suspect) had illegally and fraudulently acquired the public funds by applying for imprest for fictitious activities while serving as Political Advisor to the former Taita Taveta Governor, John Mruttu,” Muhamud said in a statement.
”The Court further found that (the suspect) had unjustly enriched himself with public funds contrary to the law. The Court therefore ordered Mr. Kimonge to pay the Government of Kenya Ksh12,458,990 together with interest at commercial rates from the date of acquisition until payment in full.”
The court, therefore, ordered that the former county employee return a total of Ksh13,878,587, which included the commercial interest rates from the date of the acquisition.
”In August 2020, EACC received a complaint alleging that Mr. Kimonge had fraudulently acquired public funds belonging to the County Government of Taita Taveta. It was alleged that the former Political Advisor had fraudulently acquired a total of KES. 13,878,587.00 in the form of imprest purportedly for allowances of members of the County Assembly Wards and staff of County Government of Taita Taveta,” Mohamud added.
The latest purge against graft by EACC comes a few days after the commission gazetted an instance where officials from the counties of Nairobi, Kitui, Migori, Kakamega, Bomet, and Baringo counties were involved in the embezzlement of Ksh1 billion.
In Nairobi County for instance, a procurement officer at the Nairobi City County Government (NCCG) received Ksh40 million from 14 companies that traded with the county government in the 2017/2018 and 2021/2022 financial years.
According to the investigations, EACC stated that NCCG made 36 payments amounting to Ksh414 million to 14 companies over the specified financial years.
It was later established that the proceeds were used to purchase properties, including motor vehicles.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE