In a significant crackdown, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has apprehended five former officials from Nyandarua County in connection with an alleged fraud scheme involving payments totaling Sh13 million.
The accused individuals are facing charges of forging documents to facilitate the fraudulent payments, purportedly intended for a County Investment Conference that, according to investigations, never transpired.
EACC spokesperson Eric Ngumbi disclosed that the suspects orchestrated the forgery of documents, creating a facade that services were procured and delivered. The payments, amounting to Sh13 million, were disbursed to six suppliers, all part of a deceptive scheme tied to a non-existent County Investment Conference.
The arrested individuals are Ms. Rose Esther Muthoni Wamuiya, former CEC Trade and Cooperatives; Mr. Vincent Muiruri Wambui, a Supply Chain Management officer; Ms. Sophia Wairimu Karanja, an Assistant Supply Chain Management officer; Mr. Shadrack Kanyungo Ndirangu, a Weight and Measures officer; and Mr. Timothy Ngunjiri Kiragu, an IFMIS Accountant.
The EACC’s operation spanned Nyandarua, Nairobi, and Naivasha, leading to the detention of the suspects at the EACC Nakuru offices. They are currently undergoing interrogation before their scheduled court appearance on Thursday.
The charges expected to be brought against the individuals include attempting to commit an offense of economic crime, conspiracy to commit economic crime, willful failure to comply with expenditure procedures, fraudulent practices in the procurement process, and making documents without authority.
EACC investigations exposed a conspiracy among the former county officials to authorize illegal payments for services ostensibly linked to a County Investors’ Conference that never materialized. Despite money being disbursed to six companies, there was no corresponding delivery of goods or services to the Nyandarua County Government.
Furthermore, the EACC revealed that the companies involved have since returned the funds and are now cooperating as witnesses in the case.
Following the investigations, the anti-corruption agency submitted the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who recommended the arrest of eight suspects. However, three individuals implicated in the fraudulent dealings are still at large, prompting the EACC to call for their immediate surrender to the Central Kenya EACC offices in Nyeri.
The fugitive officers include Mr. Simon Mwangi Ng’ang’a, a former CEC member for Water and Environment; Mr. Daniel Kamua Muguko, Chief Officer, Trade; and Regina Wairimu Wacira, Chief Auditor.
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