Education ministry officer creates non-existent school, channels Sh11m to it

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is probing suspected misappropriation and embezzlement of public funds worth more than Sh11 million in the Education ministry.

It is alleged that a clerical officer at the ministry’s headquarters in Nairobi added a non-existent secondary school to the ministry’s database and channelled funds to it.

The said-school, a free day institution, was listed in Kakamega County, and had been receiving funds for close to one year.

The school purportedly has 1,188 students.

The officer is suspected to have opened a personal bank account, which was credited with Sh11,131,305.53 Free Day Secondary Education Funds (FDSE) between August 22, 2017, and June 18, 2018.

The officer’s dealings were uncovered when publishers contracted by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) could not trace the school on the ground while distributing textbooks.

EACC has established that the officer is an employee of the Education ministry, having been employed in 2010 and deployed to Khwisero Sub-County.

The officer, who is now under EACC’s microscope, was the recipient of funds disbursed to the non-existent secondary school.

It is understood that the suspect spent the proceeds on a vehicle worth Sh2.5 million. Upon request by EACC, the dealer repossessed the car from him enabling EACC to recover Sh1.9 million from the dealer after factoring in depreciation.

The officer also bought two parcels of land at approximately Sh1.8 million while the remaining sum of approximately Sh7 million was withdrawn in cash on diverse dates.

Investigations are at an advanced stage, the anti-graft agency said.