The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji on Thursday, September 10, ordered the arrest of Garissa County Governor Ali Korane over the misappropriation of a World Bank grant valued at Ksh233 million.
In a statement, the DPP found that the county head and four others had engaged in irregular diversion of the funds disbursed to the county under the Kenya Urban Support Program.
"Instead of utilising the grant money for the intended specific municipal projects, the money was instead diverted on different occasions between February 2019 and September 2019," he stated.
Haji approved charges against the accused including conspiracy to commit an offense of economic crime, misappropriation of funds and abuse of office.
The DPP revealed that he had appointed an independent team to pursue the matter to avoid allegations of bias.
"In regard to Garissa county, the county of my origin, and to avoid allegations of bias, I appointed an independent team comprising of senior and experienced prosecutors to review the matter and give their independent findings," he stated.
Haji noted the team found that Korane had abdicated his responsibilities as mandated by the county laws therefore facilitating the misappropriation of the grant funds.
"He signed the intergovernmental participation agreement for KUSP between the national and county government. Among the obligations of the county government under Clause B (1) (a) of the agreement was to deposit the same with the Speaker of the County Assembly which he failed to do leading to a lack of oversight.
"He also failed to ensure the administration of grant funds in accordance with the relevant provision of the law, leading to the misappropriation of grant funds by county officials," the statement read in part.
Earlier on September 4, the DPP approved the prosecution of Tharaka Nithi Governor Onesmus Muthomi Njuki, and 16 other individuals over the irregular awarding of the Ksh34.9 million solid waste project.
Upon presenting himself to court, Njuki was freed on a Ksh6 million cash bail as he was ordered to deposit his passport with the court.
He was further barred from accessing office for the duration of the Ksh34 Million tender scandal case.
