The Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) has obtained orders from the High Court in Nairobi freezing Ksh37,347,598.59 public funds allegedly embezzled by four employees of the National Treasury and Planning.
The four, Robert Theuri Murage, Faith Kiptis, Esther Ngeru and Doris Simiyu, are accused of obtaining the funds illegally from the exchequer.
This comes after previous investigations where the High Court issued orders sought by EACC freezing over Ksh18 million obtained in a similar manner by Tracy Njoki King’e, an employee of the National Treasury.
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The money, according to EACC, was obtained through fraudulent extraneous and facilitation allowances.
How the National Treasury employees stole the amount
57-year-oldMs Ngeru, a deputy internal auditor general was appointed with in May 2018, earning an average monthly salary of Ksh188,000 between January 2020 and June 2022 amounting to only Ksh5,640,000. During the same period, she received a total of Ksh53,150,612.00 as imprests, facilitation and extraneous allowance. As of July 6, only Ksh8.6 million was remaining in her bank account held at Absa Bank.
Ms Kiptis, 35, is a principal finance officer/budget officer having been promoted to the position with effect on December 2, 2020. On March 8, 2022, She was re-deployed to the Equalization Fund.
Ms Kiptis earned an average monthly salary of Ksh71,000 from January 2020 to Jun 2022 amounting to only Ksh2,130,000. During the same period, she received a total of Ksh79,560,768.05.00 as imprests, facilitation and extraneous allowance.
Preliminary analysis by EACC revealed M-Pesa withdrawals leaving a balance of Kshs 8,764,087.72 in her KCB and Equity bank accounts.
Further analysis of her bank statement reveals that between July 6 and 8 a sum of Ksh12,400,000 was transferred to Serena Suites Court Limited and later to Brunell Construction Company Limited between June 14, 2022 and July 8, 2022.
Ms Simiyu, an ccountant promoted on December 2, 2020 earned an average monthly salary of Ksh59,000 from January 2020 to Jun 2022 amounting to only Ksh1,770,000. During the same period, she received a total of Ksh20,200,100.00 as imprests, facilitation and extraneous allowance.
Preliminary analysis by EACC indicated M-Pesa withdrawals and several cheque and cash withdrawals leaving a balance of Ksh8,953,988.74 as at July 7, 2022.
Mr Murage, 51, is also an accountant who earned an average monthly salary of Ksh41,000 between January 2020 to Jun 2022 amounting to only Ksh1,230,000. During the same period, he received a total of Ksh24,758,352.00 as imprests, facilitation and extraneous allowance.
The bank account preliminary analysis by the EACC shows that it had M-Pesa withdrawals and several cheque and cash withdrawals leaving a balance of Ksh11,078,601.83 as at July 5, 2022.
