An official working with the Ministry of Education is alleged to have diverted around Kshs. 11.1 million intended for the free education to his own personal account.
Following an anti-graft agency inquiry, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is now looking into the issue after there were reports of misappropriation of public funds in the State Department of Early Learning and Basic Education.
According to the EACC, the employee included a non-existent secondary school dubbed Mundeku Secondary School in Khwisero Sub-County in Kakamega County in the final list of the funds’ distribution schedule. The official then used his personal account to channel the funds.
After probing, the EACC found out that the official had prepared the funds distribution schedule including the number of learners in the school, bank account details and the amount each school would get based on the number of students in the school.
“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 Shs 11,131,305.53 from the Ministry out of this arrangement,” read part of the EACC notice.
The EACC, on the 3rd of March 2022 forwarded a compiled report to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommending that the MoE officer be charged over the offences.
The first account is the abuse of office contrary to section 46, the second is deceiving principal contrary to section 41 (2), the third for fraudulent acquisition of public property contrary to section 45 (1) and the final one on account of dealing with suspect property contrary to section 47 (1).
All charges are to be read together with section 48 of the ACECA and one (1) count of forgery which is contrary to section 349 of the Penal Code.
The DPP is yet to respond to the EACC over the MoE Official’s offences.