The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is seeking to recover KSh407.9 million allegedly lost by the Nairobi City County Government through irregular payments to 14 business entities. The Commission has filed nine recovery suits before the High Court’s Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division, naming 12 county officials. According to the EACC, the officials approved payments between the 2016/17 and 2021/22 financial years for goods and services that were allegedly never delivered to the county. The Commission’s recovery action centres on payments made despite the absence of the goods and services for which the county funds were disbursed. The cases seek to recover the alleged loss from the parties named in the proceedings and form part of the EACC’s efforts to recover public funds through civil proceedings before the courts. The Commission’s allegations are set out in the recovery suits and remain subject to determination by the court.  

The EACC also alleges that the payments were made to 14 business entities that had not been prequalified by the Nairobi City County Government to supply goods and services. The commission’s case therefore concerns the circumstances surrounding the approval and payment of the transactions, including the alleged failure of the county to receive the goods and services for which payment was made and the fact that the recipient businesses had not been prequalified as county suppliers. The transactions under investigation span six financial years, from 2016/17 through 2021/22, and are the subject of nine suits filed in the High Court’s Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division. Through these proceedings, the EACC is seeking to recover the KSh407.9 million it alleges was lost by Nairobi County, while the allegations against the officials and business entities named in the cases remain matters for determination through the judicial process.  

(Source: Daily Nation)