The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested a cleaner at the Ministry of Interior State Department for Correctional Services among other officials for the embezzlement of Ksh 450 million.
The EACC identified the cleaner as Eric Kipkurui Mutai, who reportedly owns seven companies that received Ksh 257 million despite not supplying any goods to prison stations.
These companies include Homex Logistics, Hygienic Ventures, Nerimas General Agencies, Trechris Services, Unique Supplies, Facton Logistics and White Unicorn Logistics.
The EACC discovered that the payment vouchers from the companies were fake, indicating that they did not supply food to the prisons. Additionally, the delivery notes lacked the name of the receiving officer, a mandatory requirement.
Furthermore, the payment vouchers did not include local purchase orders or inspection and acceptance committee certificates.
The EACC noted that none of the deliveries mentioned on the delivery notes attached to the payment vouchers were recorded in the prison’s books.
Moreover, none of the payments were recorded in the respective vote book of the prison where the deliveries were supposedly made.
Mutai, who has worked as a cleaner in the prisons department for seven years, is one of the 13 suspects involved in the embezzlement of Ksh. 450 million from the Prisons Department.
Other Officials Arrested by EACC
Four senior officials at the Ministry of Interior have already been arrested as investigations into the graft scheme continue.
“The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has today arrested 5 out of 13 suspects to be charged with various offences relating to embezzlement of public funds amounting to Ksh.450,138,000 at the State Department for Correctional Services,” EACC Deputy CEO Abdi Mohamud said.
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Among the officials arrested is Sarah Kemunto Kerandi (Chief Finance Officer), Moses Juma Sirengo (Principal Accountant), Jack Nyariango Ogao (Accountant) and Maureen Ndungwa (Director of one of the companies involved).
Jointly, the five suspects are part of 13 individuals linked to the scheme.
EACC to Arrest More 8 Officials
According to Mohamud, the probe concerns fraudulent tenders for the supposed supply of food rations to various prison facilities.
“This relates to fraudulent tenders for purported supply of food and ration to various prison stations by seventeen (17) companies linked to the officials during the Financial Years 2016/2017 and 2017/2018,” he said.
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Additionally, EACC ordered the eight remaining persons of interest to avail themselves before the Commission on Friday by 8am.
“The Commission hereby orders the following eight (8) suspects who are yet to be arrested to report to EACC, Nairobi Integrity Center Offices or to the nearest EACC Office not later than Friday, July 19, 2024, 8:00 am, without fail.”
Former Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Benjamin Njogu and several other high-ranking officials are also among the suspects in the ongoing investigation into the matter.
Others include Mageto Omani Mirieri, (Assistant Director Supply Chain Management Services), Joseph Kamau Mwangi (Head of Accounts) and accountants Humphrey Wende Abok and Jack Nyariango Ogao.
Also, those yet to be arrested are Ochoki Joseph Omaiyo (Prison Warder), Stephen Kisonzo Mulwa (Director of eight of the companies involved) and Joseph Kariuki Mwangi, a director of one of the companies involved.
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