Devolution PS Julius Korir grilled over Sh1.2billion for hunger relief

The Directorate of Criminal Investigation have grilled Devolution Principal Secretary Julius Korir over Sh1.2 billion for hunger relief.

The officers said they were investigating claims of misappropriation of the funds at the ministry that was intended of the relief food.

According to the detectives assigned to the matter, they had reasons to believe that the funds were embezzled.

The detectives also began questioning others connected to the funds within the ministry, after which the findings will be sent to the Office of the Public Prosecutions.

The DCI had summoned PS Korir on November 8, but agreed to give him some more time since he was away on a UN meeting in Scotland.

In September, the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) directed Korir to work with his Interior counterpart Karanja Kibicho whose ministry distributed the supplies to famine-stricken Kenyans in the year to June 2018.

“I direct you to ensure that PS Julius Korir and Dr Karanja Kibicho account for the relief supplies by end of business on Monday next week,” Opiyo Wandayi told Arid and Semi-Arid Land PS Micah Powon.

In total, Sh7,097,393,359 relief food was distributed, however, the State Department failed to account for the Sh3,289,532,111 expenditure.

The Devolution Ministry transferred the food and funds to various counties under the oversight of County Commissioners and Deputy County Commissioners but majority of them have failed to file returns to the Ministry of Devolution.

The county administrators were to send monthly reports showing the names of persons that received the food and how the funds provided for transport were utilised.

About 23 County Commissioners have failed to file accountability reports to date.

The National Treasury released Sh2 billion towards drought mitigation as directed by the President Uhuru Kenyatta.