Former County Official Ordered to Pay Gov’t Ksh12.4 Million

A former political advisor to former Taita Taveta governor John Mruttu has been ordered to pay the government Ksh12.4 million after a court found him guilty of fraudulently acquiring public funds.

In a statement on Tuesday, March 4, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said the Voi Chief Magistrate’s Court ruled that Kimonge Geoffrey had illegally acquired the funds by applying for imprest for fictitious activities while serving as Political Advisor.

The court also found that he had unjustly enriched himself with public funds contrary to the law and directed him to refund the amount with interest at commercial rates. 

"In a judgment delivered by Voi Chief Magistrate Hon. Mildred Obura, the Court found that Mr. Kimonge had illegally and fraudulently acquired the public funds by applying for imprest for fictitious activities while serving as Political Advisor to the former Taita Taveta Governor, John Mruttu. 

"The Court further found that Mr. Kimonge had unjustly enriched himself with public funds contrary to the law. The Court therefore ordered Mr. Kimonge to pay the Government of Kenya Ksh12,458,990 together with interest at commercial rates from the date of acquisition until payment in full," EACC said.

The case stems from an August 2020 complaint received by the EACC, which alleged that Kimonge fraudulently acquired public funds belonging to the County Government of Taita Taveta. 

Investigations revealed that he had applied for imprest on multiple occasions purportedly for allowances for County Assembly members and staff. 

However, the funds were never used for the intended purposes, and the activities were found to be fictitious.  

"It was alleged that the former Political Advisor had fraudulently acquired a total of Ksh13,878,587.00 in form of imprest purportedly for allowances of members of the County Assembly Wards and staff of County Government of Taita Taveta," EACC stated.

Following investigations, the EACC filed a civil recovery suit in 2022 seeking the recovery of the full amount with interest.

"The Commission welcomes the Court decision and reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that stolen public resources revert to the people of Kenya," EACC concluded.

This comes a day after the commission arrested four former senior officials from Nyamira County over allegations of abuse of office in the recruitment and appointment of 56 county staff. 

In a statement on Monday, March 3, EACC confirmed the arrests, citing irregularities in the hiring process.

The four officials include Peter Omwanza Ogwara, who previously served as the County Executive Committee Member and Beatrice Mokeira Siribah, a former commissioner of the Nyamira County Public Service Board.

Others are Chadwick Maranga Sangara, a former Principal Culture Officer and Geoffrey Ogeto Michira, a former Assistant Director of Administration.

The suspects are accused of conducting a flawed recruitment exercise that was characterized by allegations of corruption and nepotism among others.

EACC established that some of the positions that were filled through this process were neither approved by the county cabinet nor accounted for in the financial year budget.