NHIF Graft Auditors Complain of Death Threats

Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki has written to the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti about death threats that auditors at the ministry have received over the ongoing investigations on the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).

The CS had sent internal auditors to examine the books at the insurance fund to help the ministry make decisions following complaints of graft.

The auditors returned to the ministry claiming that they feared for their lives because they had been threatened.

The team probing the finances requested to be excused and instead have other people take up the investigations, indicating the gravity of the matter.

One of the auditors told police that he was trailed by unknown people into a supermarket while another stated that he was confronted on Thika Road and warned against the planned audit or else “he will see fire”.

This comes as DPP Noordin Haji recommended the prosecution of top NHIF officials over a possible multi-million shilling fraud.

NHIF Managing Director Geoffrey Mwangi was arrested alongside Head of Finance Wilbert Kurgat on Friday, by detectives from the DCI.

The arrest was reportedly over alleged obstruction of justice in an ongoing corruption probe.

They are accused of using their positions to block investigations into claims of corruption at the insurance body.

"Investigations conducted by the DCI have revealed that the two individuals jointly conspired to obstruct the course of justice by denying the DCI officers access to crucial documents," read a statement by the DPP.

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