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Nairobi, Kenya: Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu has been questioned by the anti-graft agency over fraud claims in procurement of goods and services at the ministry.
Mailu arrived at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission shortly after 9am and left five hours later announcing he will continue to work at the ministry.
“I will continue doing my work; I hope all agencies will be able to get to the bottom of the issue,” he said.
Mailu exuded confidence as he left Integrity Centre. He said he had answered all the questions that were put to him and recorded his statement.
“I wait for the EACC investigations on this issue.”
His grilling came a day after his PS Nicholas Muraguri was also grilled over the questionable procurement amounting to Sh3.1 billion.
The ministry says the amount in question is Sh3.1 billion which it says was properly used.
The commission moved in together with the police after reports of fraud emerged.
EACC is investigating claims that there was double payment for goods and the money cannot be accounted for.
Internal auditor Bernard Muchere who audited the report with the queries and the ministry’s head of accounting Joyce Mutugi were also questioned Tuesday. They are facing a team of detectives who were hurriedly assembled and ordered to look into the issue and report back soonest possible.
The query came out of an audit report that had been prepared by auditors at the ministry but Mailu says the audit was incomplete and could not be used to justify the fraud claims.
EACC chief executive Halakhe Waqo said he has requested and received part of the documents from the ministry.
Also lined up for questioning are head of Finance unit Peter Odundo, head of Procurement Peter Mwangi, the CEO of the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency Dr John Munyu, former head of procurement Ephantus Thigah and former head of Accounts Peter Macharia.
More witnesses, including suppliers, will be questioned, Waqo said.
The EACC has been investigating the ministry from around May, following revelations that a company associated with its former chairman Philip Kinisu had been awarded a tender to supply anti-malarial chemicals. Esaki Ltd delivered Pirimos Methyl 300 capsules for Sh150.1 million.
“There have been issues at the Health ministry. There has been ongoing investigations into procurement process,” EACC deputy chief executive Michael Mubea said last Friday when he visited there.
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