KACC targets parastatal bosses

Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission PLO Lumumba gestures during a talk at the Strathmore college. Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission in its fourth quarterly report for last year covering the months of October to December lists a former director and Finance and Administration Manager of Kenya Wines Agency among those supposed to be arraigned in court for alleged abuse of office. PHOTO / FILE  

By SAMWEL KUMBA skumba@ke.natrionmedia.comPosted Monday, January 10 2011 at 21:00

In Summary

• KWAL pair failed to remit Sh600,000 paid to them for products bought from the firm

Former and current chief executives of State corporations are set to appear in court on corruption charges.

Apart from Industrialisation minister Henry Kosgey who has already been charged with abuse of office, three ministers and one assistant are said to be next in line once investigations are complete.

Those recommended for prosecution include officials of Kenya Wine Agencies, Export Processing Zones Authority Board and officers from the ministries of Education and Industrialisation.

Those from the Kenya Airports Authority and the Kenya Wildlife Service are under fresh investigation, according to the country’s anti-graft agency, after Attorney General Amos Wako recommended so.

The Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission in its fourth quarterly report for last year covering the months of October to December lists a former director and Finance and Administration Manager of Kenya Wines Agency among those supposed to be arraigned in court for alleged abuse of office.

The two face charges of abuse of office contrary to section 46 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, 2003, according to the report, part of which was published in last Friday’s Kenya Gazette.

The KACC report shows that the officers failed to remit Sh600,000 paid to them by a private firm in respect of products purchased by the said firm from KWAL on credit.

On Education, allegations are that a senior education officer misappropriated an imprest of Sh1,173,000 meant for training management committees and education officers in Eastern Province while another misappropriated part of Sh8,574,740 meant to speed up a national school based de-worming programme in the Coast, Western, Nyanza, Eastern and Nyanza provinces.

Another senior assistant Director of Education is to be charged for embezzlement of Sh1,370,000 while conducting workshops for training members of school infrastructure committees for primary schools in Central and Nairobi provinces.

An accountant at the ministry is said to have embezzled Sh763,000.