DPP Haji office official charged in fuel card racket

Senior Principal Administrative Officer of the office of the DPP, William Ashael Osoro, at the Milimani Anti-corruption Court where he was charged and released on a Sh600,000 cash bail. [Courtesy]

A senior administrative officer at the Director of Public Prosecutions office has been charged with misappropriation of fuel worth Sh7.9M through use of unauthorised fuel card.

In a tweet today, the DPP's office said the Head of Administration, Mr William Osoro, was charged at Milimani Anti-Corruption Court.

"Osoro has been released on Sh1.5 million bond or an alternative Sh600,000 cash bail," the post read.

The Milimani Anti-corruption Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi ordered Osoro to deposit his passport in court.

Osoro was also denied access to the DPP offices unless he was authorised by the directorate.

In an earlier statement, the DPP said there was sufficient evidence to warrant prosecution of the officer.  

"The suspect will be charged with abuse of office and stealing by a person employed by the Public Service," the statement read.

The DPP says he first received an audit report concerning management of fuel consumption in the transport division in his office on April 26, 2017.

The Kenya National Audit Office followed soon with another audit report revealing that there was mismanagement of fuel among other queries in his office. Haji says the report was presented to his office on February 20, 2018.

The statement further reveals that the alleged crimes were perpetrated through a general card number 1122006698 of the National Oil Corporation.

The DPP further states that he forwarded the audit and concerns raised by the report to the DCI for investigations.

"Thereafter on August 30, 2018, the DCI forwarded the outcome of the investigations which revealed that one Mr William Osoro was culpable for misappropriation of public funds through management of fuel consumption," the statement further said.

William Osoro becomes the latest in the DPP's list of people arraigned in a court of law over alleged corruption.

On Thursday, the EACC detectives arrested Agriculture PS Lesiyampe in regard to the National Cereals and Produce Board Sh1.9 billion maize supply scandal.

On Tuesday, Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu and advocate Stanley Muluvi Kiima were arrested over alleged corruption. They were later released on Sh5m bond.?