Two former senior officials at the West Pokot County Government were arrested for embezzling Sh296 million in bursary funds.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested the two following investigations into allegations of corruption involving the theft of public funds intended to help low-income students in the county.
According to EACC misappropriation took place between the 2017/2018 and 2021/2022 fiscal years.
Those arrested include Mary Ngoriakes, the former Chief Officer of Education, and Mathew Arusio, the former County Director of Bursary.
The two were detained early Monday and are currently being processed at the EACC North Rift Regional Offices in Eldoret.
Officials said the will be arraigned at the Eldoret Anti-Corruption Court on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.
The investigation was launched after the EACC received a complaint alleging that senior officials in the West Pokot County Government planned and carried out a scheme to defraud the County Bursary, Education, and Infrastructure Fund.
Initially, the officials were thought to have embezzled Sh212 million.
However, further investigation revealed that the total stolen amount was Sh296 million.
These funds had been designated to provide bursaries to students from low-income families in the county.
Investigators discovered that the County Bursary, Education Development, and Infrastructure Committee (CBC), which was supposed to oversee the distribution of bursary funds, was never properly established.
Despite this, some county officials posed as CBC members and engaged in fraudulent activities, such as irregular cash withdrawals.
These officials also fabricated minutes for meetings that never took place to justify their actions.
Following the conclusion of the investigation, the EACC presented a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who agreed with the commission’s recommendations to charge four suspects with various offences.
The charges include conspiracy to commit corruption, wilful failure to follow public fund management procedures, abuse of office, fraudulent acquisition of public property, and falsified accounting.
The suspects are also charged with creating and signing unlawful contracts under the Public Procurement and Disposal Act of 2015, as well as making and uttering false documents under the Penal Code.
While two suspects are now in custody, the EACC has directed the remaining two individuals, Simon Kodomuk, former Chief Officer of Education, and Francil Tikol, former Assistant County Director of Bursary, to report to the EACC North Rift Regional Offices in Eldoret on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.
The two are believed to have gone into hiding, and failure to surrender will result in additional legal action.
This case is seen as part of a larger crackdown on corruption in county governments, as the commission continues to work to recover stolen funds and hold public officials accountable for mismanagement.
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