Nyeri County deputy governor Caroline Karugu stopped receiving her salary four months ago, court documents show.
In her suit filed in September, Ms Karugu claimed the county government stopped remitting her pay since November 2019.
But in response to the suit, Nyeri County Secretary Benjamin Gachichio and Governor Mutahi Kahiga who are listed as the first and second respondents, have refuted the claims.
Bank receipts presented in court showed that Karugu only stopped receiving her Sh470,000 pay in June this year.
Read: Nyeri DG Caroline Karugu in Court Over Non-payment of Salary Since 2019
The bank records date back to May 2018 when she took oath of office.
The respondents, through lawyer Kamotho Njomo, said her salary was withheld after a routine staff-return report prepared at the end of the 2020/2021 fiscal year.
The report, the duo told the court, showed that Karugu had abandoned her mandate as deputy and member of the County Executive Committee (CEC) from August 2019, without reason.
“But despite that, the county government continued to remit her salary until June this year when the report unveiled the allegations,” the court heard.
Read Also: Appointing Caroline Karugu As DG Was A Mistake – Nyeri Governor Kahiga
Karugu had also accused the duo of failing to pay for her fuel, house, entertainment and periodical phone allowances since 2018.
The respondents, however, argued that the Salaries Remuneration Commission (SRC) only allows county governments to pay rent for official residences of the deputy governors, governors and speakers.
In their defense, they said, Karugu had declined to live in her official residence within Nyeri county, and instead was a resident of Nairobi.
“But on being appointed, she had agreed to relocate to the county for the ease of execution of her mandate but up until now she is yet to move,” lawyer Njomo said.
Read Also: Gakuru’s Family Set To Receive Over 46 Million As Compensation From Nyeri County
Mr Gachichio and Governor Kahiga want the complainant to prove that the unpaid fuel expenses were incurred while discharging her official duties and not from private errands.
The duo has also accused Karugu of repairing her government provided vehicle at a private garage that is not pre-qualified to service government vehicles.
The vehicle was repaired at J.E. Autocare Garage at a cost of Sh20,700. She later presented the invoice to the county government for a refund.
The money, the lawyer said, cannot be refunded as it will be a breach of the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Act.
Read Also: Council Of Governors Deny Snubbing Nyeri Governor Swearing In
On her security guards issue, Gachichio and Governor Kahiga said she has always been assigned a security guard but has always insisted on having more guards without justification.
“All deputy governors across the country are required to only have one security personnel assigned to them, unless they give a special reason as to why they require more,” they argued.
The duo want the suit dismissed on grounds that it lacks the jurisdiction to determine the case on the grounds that there lacks an employee-employer relationship between the deputy county boss and the Governor or his county secretary.
The matter will be heard on October 19.
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