Former Kenya Museums Boss Allegedly Created Ghost Employees to Steal Nearly a Half Billion Shillings

The ex-boss of Kenyan museums will stand trial for allegedly creating “ghost employees” and stealing nearly half a billion shillings from the government.

In a statement released yesterday by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Dr Mzalendo Kibunjia, the former Director General at the National Museums of Kenya (NMK), has been formally accused of fraudulently obtaining Ksh490 million after listing fake employees on the state corporation’s payroll and paying them salaries.

Per the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Ingonga, who returned the indictment charging Dr Kibunjia with several counts of economic crimes after looking into allegations of fraud and completing investigations, the money was stolen and deposited to individual accounts between Financial Year 2015/2016 and 2021/2022 with the help of four other persons;

Of the four, three – Stavan Ongalo, Oliver Okinyi, and Wycliffe Odhiambo – are employees of the National Museums of Kenya, and the remaining one, Oscar Mwaura, is an accountant at Equity Bank.

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“The DPP, upon further independent and thorough review of the resubmitted inquiry file, was satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to warrant their prosecution,” the statement from ODPP read.

With Dr Kibunjia, the co-accused will be tried in the same criminal proceeding to answer to ghost employee fraud charges by falsifying records to generate payments to individuals who never worked at the government corporation and collecting wages unlawfully in line with the provisions of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.

On the same day, the DPP announced that Murang’a County government officials, including their previous Governor, Mwangi wa Iria, are set to be prosecuted on allegations of engaging in procurement irregularities and conflict of interest that saw Ksh140 million unexplainably lost.

These are just a few cases highlighting the widespread corruption starving the country of funds and undermining several would-be initiatives for economic growth and sustainable development.

However, the DPP has said that they are working tirelessly to ensure that those who engage in illegal activity do not go unpunished.

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