The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has revealed how an Education Ministry official pocketed Ksh11 million in a year after creating a fake school.
In a statement, the commission noted that the senior official was tasked with the disbursement of government funds to schools meant for the Free Day Secondary Education Programme.
Given his access to the Ministry funds system, the male officer created a ghost school named Mundeku Secondary School. He then used his personal bank account as the school account.
According to EACC, the ghost school was created on August 22, 2017, and received funds for nearly one year.
Ksh11.1 million was disbursed in the fraudulent scheme before being discovered by the EACC.
The anti-corruption agency explained that it moved to court immediately to recover the funds which were mostly used up to purchase property across the country.
EACC alleged that the official used the money to purchase a Toyota Vanguard vehicle and two parcels of land.
"In his ruling, Justice Prof Nixon Sifuna found that he conceived and executed a fraudulent scheme through which he received Ksh11,131,305.53 at the expense of the children of Kenya, who are the beneficiaries of the Free Day Secondary Education funds," read the statement in part.
"The High Court declared the property proceeds of crime that should be forfeited to the government."
Following the ruling, EACC has compiled a file for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) as they seek to have the officials charged with corruption.
Upon reviewing the file, the ODPP will make recommendations regarding the corruption charges preferred against the senior ministry official.
EACC's revelations have exposed loopholes in the ministry's financial management with many Kenyans questioning how money was disbursed to a ghost school for one year without anyone taking notice.
