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Mombasa County officials face fraud charges over Sh1.6bn garbage scandal

EACC Chief Executive Twalib Mbarak. The EACC has recommended the prosecution of Mombasa County officials and forwarded the case to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for further action. (Photo: EACC)

By Farhiya Hussein | Monday, June 24, 2024

EACC has recommended their prosecution and forwarded the case to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for further action.

Senior officials from Mombasa County are facing fraud allegations related to the irregular procurement of garbage collection services amounting to Sh1.6 billion.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has recommended their prosecution and forwarded the case to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for further action.

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EACC Chief Executive Twalib Mbarak revealed the details on Friday during a session with the Senate Public Accounts Committee in Mombasa.

He disclosed that the investigation had been completed and that the EACC had forwarded the names of the suspects to the ODPP back in November 2018.

"Upon conclusion of the investigation, recommendations were made to charge senior officials of Mombasa County. The matter was forwarded to DPP in November 2018 and is awaiting further guidance," Twalib stated.

The officials in question are accused of orchestrating irregular procurement processes for garbage collection and disposal services between 2014 and 2015. These actions allegedly bypassed standard procurement procedures, leading to a significant financial scandal within the county.

Senator Moses Kajwang, who led the committee session, expressed concern over the slow pace of justice in handling such high-profile corruption cases. He emphasised the need for swift and decisive action to deter future misconduct and restore public confidence in county administrations.

Senate Public Accounts Committee Moses Kajwang. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)

Mbarak acknowledged the challenges faced by the EACC in implementing recommendations from the Auditor General but affirmed the commission's commitment to tackling corruption in counties.

"Despite the many hurdles the commission is facing, we are determined to stamp out corruption in various counties," he said.

In addition to the Mombasa County case, Mbarak mentioned that the EACC is also investigating a separate incident involving the alleged embezzlement of Sh310 million in Tana River County.

The case involves the procurement of solar-powered air conditioning machines, further highlighting the widespread nature of corruption issues in local governments.

Photo of Homabay Senator Moses Kajwang who chairs the Senate Public Accounts and Investments Committee