Crime: Senior officials suspended over Sh160m public money theft

NAIROBI, KENYA: The head of the Information Communication and Technology Authority is expected to record a statement over the disappearance of Sh160 million from the agency's account.

However, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations did not say when the chief executive, Robert Mugo, would tell his side of the story.

"For such amounts to be withdrawn the CEO ought to have known. We want to hear from him how the huge sums were stolen," said an official. Mr Mugo declined to comment on the investigation, saying he would issue a detailed statement today (Wednesday).

Four senior officials of the authority who were said to have been involved in the movement of the cash were suspended and their bank accounts frozen. They have recorded statements with police.

The Standard established that a money trail showed that some of them had bought property, while others wired money to their spouses.

Government regulations

The Assets Recovery Agency have been asked to recover the lost money. Police want to know how those involved were able to withdraw as much as Sh70 million, contrary to government regulations.

An internal audit found widespread looting perpetrated by four senior officials. Patrick Masika was the lead auditor.

Withdrawals were just below Sh500,000, the threshold that requires the approval of the chief executive, Mr Masika reported.

Hundreds of withdrawals were made using falsified documents that showed transfers made to the same private bank accounts but bearing different names.

Detectives established that the four collectively paid more than Sh20 million into their personal accounts, booked as per diem allowances.