NAIROBI, Kenya, May 27 – An official from the Ministry of Education is on the spot after the Ethic and Anti-Corruption Commission revealed that he diverted Sh11.1 million that were meant for free education to his personal bank account.
The revelations came after an inquiry by the anti-graft agency following reports of misappropriation of public funds in the state department of early learning and basic education, which alleged that the said officer fraudulently received funds that were meant for free secondary education into his personal bank account.
A report submitted to EACC also alleged that the said employee has inserted the name of a non-existent secondary school named Mundeku Secondary school in Khwisero Sub-County, Kakamega county into the final list of the funds distribution schedule, and used his personal account to channel the funds.
In their investigations, EACC established that the Mundeku secondary school was non-existed and that the suspected Ministry of Education employee was responsible for preparing the funds distribution schedule, which included the number of students in each school, the bank account details and the amount each school would receive based on the enrollment data.
“Investigations established that the said employee inserted the non-existent Mundeku Secondary School into the funds distribution schedule, and linked his Equity Bank account number as the Mundeku Secondary School’s bank account. He later received KSh. 11,131,305.53 from the Ministry out of this arrangement,” reads a notice by EACC.
It was also revealed that the said employee misled his employer by submitting a Funds Distribution Schedule with misleading information about Mundeku Secondary School as a recipient, thereby causing financial loss to the Ministry of Education.
According to EACC, On 3rd March, 2022, they forwarded a compiled report to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) with recommendations to charge the Ministry of Education employee with the following offences: one count of abuse of office contrary to section 46, one count of deceiving principal contrary to section 41(2); one count, of fraudulent acquisition of public property contrary to section 45(1); one (1) count of dealing with suspect property contrary to section 47(1) all as read together with section 48 of the ACECA; and one (1) count of forgery contrary to section 349 of the Penal Code.
EACC said they are awaiting the DPP’s response.
