Four Bungoma County Officials were found guilty of participating in the purchase of 10 wheelbarrows at Sh1.09 Million and 32 meat hooks at Sh32,500 each.
The officials who were implicated include Trade Executive Patrick Kooi, veterinary director Emanuel Wangwe, former head of supply chain management Ayub China and transitional authority co-ordinator Juma Matsanza.
The Audit committee that revealed the details of the scam stated that Governor Ken Lusaka was not involved but was the whistleblower who requested for an audit.
The report which was tabled by the committee chairman Joseph Maguda, stated that the four were involved in suspicious transactions aimed at duping the assembly, considering that the supposedly stainless steel equipment had already began rusting.
“Wangwe was instrumental to the procurement process, and gave exaggerated possible prices of wheelbarrows and hooks and was aided by Kooi, then Agriculture Executive, who signed requisition ref; stock 7/10/2 that Wangwe had forwarded to him,” said Mr Maguda.
Mr Maguda, who is also Bungoma Township MCA, stated that Mr Wangwe was acting suspicious especially after the arrival of the wheelbarrows.
“The committee was also suspicious as to why Wangwe cut his journey to Nairobi short while in Nakuru on hearing that the acceptance and inspection committee was receiving the wheelbarrows, and that his office was being represented by two officers," he said.
Governor Lusaka was told to punish all three officials whom were claimed to have tainted the image of the county, by holding them liable for the recovery of all quantified losses, dismissing them from office and charging them for violating the Public Procurement and Disposal Act.
The report showed that the supply of the wheelbarrows was made by Jagla Enterprise at Sh983,880 (each at Sh109,320) instead of Sh109,320 (each at Sh12,146.67) as per the evaluation committee report.
Bungoma County Assembly hit headlines after the purchase of the high-priced wheelbarrows that were later defended by Governor Lusaka, who said that they would not cause cancer since they were stainless and were meant for the food industry.
Read Also: VIDEO: County Gov't Defends Purchase of Wheelbarrows Worth Sh109,000 Each
