Two officials attached to Homa Bay County government alongside former county official and three suppliers have been arrested by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (Eacc) detectives over Sh85million fraud at the county.
Otieno Bob Kephas, Caroline Chepkemoi Sang, Maurice Adiwuor Amek, Evelyne Awino Ogutu, David Obonyo Mireri and Mirriam Achieng’ Aloo conspired to embezzle public funds.
According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, companies suspected to have fraudulently received payments from the county include; Nyangume Enterprises and Damila Enterprises.
Nyangume Enterprises is owned by former Homa Bay County Assembly clerk Kephas’s wife, and Damila Enterprises by former Equity Bank Homa Bay branch manager Mireri.
“Nyangume Enterprises Limited received Sh26,272,460 while Damila Enterprises Limited received Sh46,542,645 from the Homa Bay County Assembly accounts yet they did not deliver any goods or services to the county,” read the statement.
The County Assembly Clerk received Sh24.2 million and Sh750,000 from Damila and Nyangume respectively.
Lilian Achieng Aloo, the wife of the Equity bank branch manager received Sh12,363,706.5 as ‘salary’ yet she was not employed by the county.
Also implicated is Evelyne Awino Ogutu who is linked to Nyangume Enterprise.
Chief Finance Officer Caroline Sang and Senior Accounts controller Maurice Amek pocketed Sh3.95 million and Sh5 million each from Damila Enterprises as benefits.
The six will be arraigned tommorrow and will be charged with conspiracy to commit an economic crime, abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property, among other charges.
