EACC grills Maasai Mara University bosses over Sh732m graft scam

 

The main entrance to Maasai Mara University. [File, Standard]

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is investigating an alleged misappropriation of over Sh732 million by Maasai Mara University officials set aside for the construction of a library.

The alleged scandal has seen 11 current and former top officials interrogated by EACC detectives.

The commission spokesperson Eric Ngumbi said the outcome of the investigation will inform the next steps which may include prosecution and recovery of any public funds found to have been lost.

It is alleged that the contract was awarded to a company whose director is related to a top university official.

The investigations come at a time when the university has sued former Vice Chancellor Mary Walingo over Sh215 million allegedly embezzled in her second tenure.

In the suit filed at the High Court in Narok, the university and its council want the court to declare the Sh215,001,608, allegedly withdrawn by Prof Walingo as proceeds of corruption.

“The court is urged to issue an order that the money, illegally embezzled by the defendant (Walingo), be refunded to the university,” the university submitted.

Alternatively, the university has urged the court to order the forfeiture of Walingo’s assets, equivalent to the amount mentioned.

 Person of interest

The university, through its council chairperson Dr Kennedy Kerei, in an affidavit claims underwent a major blow in September 2019, after rampant corruption was exposed.

Kerei submits that Walingo, who was serving her second term as the VC and a former Accountant Officer of the university, were allegedly at the centre of the scandal.

He said that the university conducted a thorough probe to ascertain the corruption allegations and Walingo became a person of interest.

“After investigations, the university discovered that the defendant had constituted a complex scheme of corruption designed to conceal the movement of illicit funds,” he deposed.

He argued that criminal charges were instituted against Walingo (Nakuru Anti-Corruption Case E002 of 2020), but the case was not heard to its logical conclusion.

The university council claims that the case was terminated by way of judicial review but even with its withdrawal, the university had a right to institute a petition seeking to recover the money lost.