Hunter becomes hunted in probe

Auditor-General Edward Ouko, whose office is meant to play a crucial role in checking government expenditure, is among several public figures listed in the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission report.

In a case of the hunter becoming the hunted, Mr Ouko and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) chairman Johnstone Kavuludi, who has been steering the vetting of police officers in a process that has seen so many top cops fired, are on the list.

Mr Ouko and Mr Kavuludi are holders of constitutional offices and may either leave office voluntarily or be forced out if the President forms a tribunal to investigate them.

The inclusion of Mr Ouko’s name on the list stains the image of the office whose core mandate is to audit and report on accounts from national and county governments and other public institutions.

FRAUDULENT BUDGETS

In the EACC report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, the Auditor-General is listed as a suspect in Case Number 16 and his position referred to as the Kenya National Audit Office (Kenao).

Mr Ouko held the position when the report was made on April 9, 2014.

The allegations against him include a claim that he defrauded the World Bank, making fraudulent budgets, more than double the cost of the actual budget by more than Sh500 million; making payments worth Sh100 million on behalf of Kenao for the purchase of audit vaults.

His office on Tuesday laughed off the claims, dismissing them as outrageous and only meant to blackmail the Auditor-General.

“How can one defraud the World Bank? Has the World Bank complained? We know this is an attempt to malign the office of the Auditor-General in a bid by individuals netted by our audit reports,” said Kenao’s assistant director of communications, Mr Peter Opiyo.

Case Number 10 on the list touches on Mr Kavuludi and catalogues “allegations into financial impropriety, misappropriation, abuse of office at the National Police Service”.

It further alleges that Mr Kavuludi made various trips abroad without accounting for funds.

Another commissioner at NPSC, Mr Ronald Musengi, is also on the list, accused of engaging in irregularities in the procurement of Konza/Malili Ranch.

LAND SALE

Former Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister’s Office Caroli Omondi is also on the list, accused of having been involved in the sale of land belonging to the Kenya Commercial Bank, which could lead to the bank losing more than Sh400 million.

The case registered in 2011 claims that Mr Omondi was purchasing the land from KCB at Sh220 million and was also negotiating with an Indian businessman to sell it at Sh650 million.

Said the report: “It is alleged that the bank has reached an agreement to dispose of the parcel of land on Loita Street, Nairobi, near Barclays Plaza for Sh220 million to one Caroli Omondi.”

Mr Abraham Mwaura, Kenya’s acting ambassador in South Africa, who is in charge of permits, is accused of engaging in irregular issuance of work permits, passports and visas.

A few deputy county commissioners also appear on the List of Shame and will have to quit in line with President Kenyatta’s order that has seen over 20 public officers step aside so far.

They include Garissa’s Domnic Kyenza and Mr Mike Mimoko (Bura) who are both accused of misappropriating relief food.

Also on the list are Mr Jeremiah Matoke and Mrs Mary Musoma, the principal account controller and chief finance officers at the Ministry of Water, Environment and Natural Resources, respectively.

They are accused of having colluded with junior ministry officials on the ground to steal public funds by channelling Sh10 million directly to some districts in Nyanza and Western regions and ordering procurement officers to allocate projects to companies associated with them.