NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 26 – The High Court has frozen the account of an Environment Ministry employee which had Sh22.4 million to enable the Ethics an Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) probe the source of the funds.
According to the anti-graft agency, Samuel Kariuki Njoroge who had been employed since January 2018 to March 2022 has been earning an average net salary of Sh42, 000.
“That the Commission received a report regarding allegations of embezzlement of public funds, and abuse of office by a public official,” Juliet Kavala, an investigator at the EACC said adding that it was the information that triggered the investigations.
The court directions indicted that the account will be frozen for six months pending the conclusion of investigations and institution of recovery proceedings.
Njoroge is reported to have joined the Ministry as a Finance Officer earning a net salary of Sh32,000 and before he was working at Save the Children International where he was earning a net salary of Sh27, 000.
In the probe, the body revealed that Njoroge received numerous large sums of money from the Ministry of Environment totaling to Sh79.7 million.
It is further detailed that Njoroge between March 2019 and March 2022 received imprest in the sum of Sh3,991,300 as purchase of snacks.
“Investigations established that between 2nd February 2021 and 5th April 2022, public funds designated as purchase of snacks were irregularly acquired and spent.” EACC said.
The Commission asserted that Njoroge’s salary, the credits into his bank account are disproportionate to his known legitimate known sources of income and could have been obtained through corrupt conduct.
“That it is reasonably suspected that the credit deposits are proceeds of corruption which are public funds which monies is amenable to forfeiture to the State,” EACC said.
In issuing the freeze orders, the court prohibited Njoroge or his agents from attempting to withdraw the funds until investigations are complete.
The EACC’s mega probe comes barely a week after they were also allowed to preserve Sh257 million in a bank account operated by a cleaner at the Kenya Prisons Headquarters.
