Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested five suspects who allegedly conspired and fraudulently acquired Sh20.3 million from Laikipia East National-Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
The money was purportedly used for the “Thome -Tharua road” project during the Financial Year 2016/2017.
EACC established that there was no such project undertaken and the suspects weaved the fraudulent scheme just to account for the amount stolen from the NG-CDF.
The amount is suspected to have been shared with other senior Government officials.
Confirming the arrest on Saturday, Eric Ngumi said the suspects are currently detained at Nyahururu Police Station pending arraignment before the Nyahururu Anti-Corruption Court on Monday.
The commission established that between October 6, 2015, and March 14, 2017, the suspects, conspired to embezzle Sh20,391,000 purporting that the funds were paid out for the construction of Thome-Tharua Road, a project they knew had not been approved by the NG-CDF Board and thus non-existent.
It further established that no construction works were done at all to warrant payment of Sh20,391,000 and the road was a ghost project created as a conduit for looting public funds.
It also emerged that there was no approved procurement plan and budget for the alleged project.
The suspects will be charged with eight counts relating to various offenses.
They will include conspiracy to commit an offense of corruption, financial misconduct, fraudulently making payments from public revenue for services not rendered, fraudulent acquisition of public property and wilful failure to comply with the law relating to management of public funds.