Kilifi officials say they can account for Sh1 billion claimed to have been stolen

Kilifi County government finance officials now say they can account for about Sh1 billion which was claimed to have been stolen.

Chief finance officer, Mr Ben Kai, on Friday said only Sh51 million was illegally paid to fictitious companies and not Sh1.18 billion as reported.

“Only Sh51.2 million was irregulary wired to various bank accounts of companies based in Nairobi,” he said at the county offices.

The County Assembly led by Speaker Jimmy Kahindi is currently investigating the matter. On Friday, however, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission deputy chief executive Michael Mubea said they were investigating.

“We have already moved in to investigate the scandal. What I can confirm for now is that indeed Sh51 million was stolen but we are also looking at the claim that Sh1.18 billion was stolen,” said Mr Mubea.

He assured that in two weeks, the suspects will be arraigned in court. “We want to see people going to jail after being convicted of corruption offences,” added Mr Mubea while speaking in Mombasa following a three-day workshop organised by the commission, which brought together officers from county governments and the auditor-general’s office.

He further said the anti-graft commission will conduct an audit of the Integrated Financial Management System (Ifmis) to identify loopholes being used by officers in the national and county governments to loot public funds.

“We willmake recommendations on how to make it tamper-proof,” he said. The system has been in focus following the looting of over Sh800 million from the National Youth Service and the now Kilifi scandal.

Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwelu, who officially closed the workshop on Friday said the Judiciary was prepared to deal with corruption.