Evidence in possession of Kahawa Tungu now reveals that Victor Kiptanui, the officer in charge of Transport & Welfare department at the Kenya Pipeline, could be involved in a multimillion scandal with rogue travel agency, Angani Travel Agency.
According to a source privy to the dealings of the state agency, the officer colludes with the agency by exaggerating, inflating and overpricing air ticket fare on their invoices which is too high as compared to other travel agencies and the system prices from the airlines.
In 2017 alone, the company, registered in the year 2015 under AGPO(women), made sales of air tickets amounting to Ksh100 million through fishy deals.
In one instance, when the Kenya Pipeline women volleyball team was traveling from Nairobi-Tunisia, the cost of a return ticket for each staff was quoted Ksh340,000 and there were 21 staff travelling that amounts to Ksh7.14 million. In a normal day a return air ticket from Nairobi to Tunisia is roughly Ksh160,000, meaning the tickets should have costed Ksh3.5 million. This means that Angani received Ksh3.78 million in excess.
Read: The Secret Kenya Pipeline Deal With Israel That Is Hiking Fuel Prices
In another incidence, two Kenya Pipeline staffers who traveled to Kuar Lumpar in Malaysia, paid an excess of Ksh722,000. “Cost of a return ticket from Nairobi to Malaysia is approximately Ksh85,000. Kenya Pipeline Company staff(two) traveled to kuar Lumpar, Cost of air ticket invoiced was Ksh446,000 each and the total amount invoiced was Ksh896,000,” says our source, who sought anonymity.
On a similar issue, two staff members from Kenya Pipeline company traveled to New Delhi India, cost of air ticket was quoted at Ksh446,000 each, totaling to Ksh896,000. In real sense the cost of air ticket from Nairobi to New Delhi is about Ksh90,000. Assuming that they charge a service fee the maximum total amount on invoice is supposed to be Ksh 200,000.There was further change of reservation amounting to Ksh159,000 on top of the cost of the air ticket. The truth is with those two bookings the travel agency made a staggering “profit”of Ksh1.5 million.
In another booking, invoiced number 00170390 and the ticket no. 1240809574, a staff member Mr Odour Samuel traveled from Nairobi to Dubai and back a trip which cost the state agency Ksh264,990. Kenya Airways approximates return ticket to Dubai at Ksh37,800 (prevailing prices), meaning that Kenya Pipeline paid over Ksh227,000 in excess.
According to investigations done by Kahawa Tungu, the malpractice was reported to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) six months ago, they they never took action up to date.
Here are two invoices that Kahawa Tungu’s Investigative desk managed to obtain, as others remained heavily guarded (hidden) due to the intensity of the matter, in which there could be more scams going on.
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