NAIROBI, Kenya June 23 – Six top officials of the Kenya School of Law are in trouble after evidence showed that they engaged in a Sh198 million fraud at the institution.
The six, led by Chief Executive Officer Professor Morris Kiwinda Mbondenyi, colluded to have the money paid out to companies owned by some of the employees, in an elaborate scheme that would show on record that they delivered goods.
On Tuesday, the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji said he had ordered the arrest and prosecution of the CEO, a senior Director of Finance and Administration Amos Kabue Mwangi, Finance Manager Frank kackson Were, accountants Ephraim Thuku, Hudson Amwai Lwigado an Achiro Nobert Gondi who is also a director of Firmline Company–one of the beneficiary firms.
“I am therefore satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to support charges under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act,” Haji said in a statement.
They are to face charges alongside Paul Lovi Andenga (proprietor of Ademwa Enterprises), Fridah Ngoya Wanda of Ngoya Cosmetics and Frigoya Investments, Alfred Murange Lwigado of Alfrane Investments as well as Dennis Sam Achiro and Kenneth Ochieng–both directors of Deskench Investments.
The DPP said he approved charges against the officials and proprietors of the companies following an investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
In the investigation report submitted to his office, EACC said the fraud was perpetrated by the bank signatories to the Kenya School of Law accounts who were senior employees at the institution’s Finance Department who would sign for different entinties to be paid for goods not supplied.
EACC said it also established that besides the conflict of interest, the firms were not pre-qualified at the institution.
“The Kenya School of Law lost Sh198,441,030 to business entities regisytered in the names of senior employes of the school,” the DPP said.
The investigation had been going on since May 2019.