The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has filed an application in court seeking to recover Sh13.9 million from Geoffrey Kimonge Mbogho, a former Taita Taveta County government official.
Mbogho is alleged to have fraudulently obtained a total of Sh13,997,987 while serving as the political advisor to former Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu between November 2015 and May 2017. The funds were set aside as imprest for Taita Taveta County MCAs and other members of staff.
“On 20th November, 2015 he fraudulently applied for and received imprest of Sh1 million purportedly for allowances for Members of various County Assembly Wards within the said County. He never paid the monies to the said Members of County Assembly Wards,” EACC said in a statement.
Investigations also revealed that Mbogho fraudulently applied for and received imprest of Sh1,070,000 on November 27th, 2015, purportedly for allowances for Members of various County Assembly Wards within the said County. He never paid the monies to the said MCAs.
Between October 9th and December 2015, Mbogho also cumulatively obtained Sh1,795,200 meant to facilitate official county engagements.
He is also accused of falsely obtaining Sh6,244,790 under the same pretense, and failing to remit the same to county staff on diverse dates between March 2016 and December 2016.
“On 13th December, 2016 he fraudulently applied for and received imprest of Sh7,233,381 purportedly as daily subsistence allowance (per diem) for employees of the said County Government traveling to Dubai,” EACC added.
“Investigations established that he never remitted Sh1,307,997 to some of the employees of the said County and has never surrendered the imprest.”
On December 22nd, 2016, Mbogho allegedly also failed to remit Sh2 million imprest meant to facilitate travel for 10 county officials to Dubai. He is accused of illegally obtaining Sh560,000 from the county on May 17th, 2017.
EACC has filed a suit at the Voi law courts seeking to have the funds returned in full to the county government of Taita Taveta.
“The commission also wants an order of payment of interest at commercial rates of Sh13,977,987 from the date of acquisition of each tranche as enumerated above to the date of filing the suit, interest at court rates from the date of filing suit till payment in full and for Mbogho to settle the costs of and incidental to this suit,” said EACC.
