This archive report was first published on 12 December 2019.
Embu County Governor Martin Wambora and his key allies have been linked to a multi-million shilling scandal involving 19 secret bank accounts.
According to the Auditor General's report for the year ended June 30, 2017, the county operated 19 main bank accounts with a total balance of Sh518,995,353 and 56 Danish International Development Agency Health facilities accounts with a total balance of Sh1,441,558, totaling Sh521,436,911.
The accounts were opened and operated against Section 82 of the Public Finance Management Regulations (County Government) 2015 Act, with two revenue accounts at the Runyenjes Level Four Hospital being operated by strangers since the signatories had been moved to other departments and/or counties.
Unexplained and unsupported withdrawals from the accounts amounting to Sh34,751,498 and Sh11,508,452 were made by the signatories, one of whom is an in-law to Wambora.
George Muthinji, the hospital administrator, was also the banking agent for the two bank accounts, whose only duty was to access the bank statements.
Bank balances show that two accounts had credit balances of Sh554,289 and Sh15,814,210 as at July 24, 2019, with the money not declared to the county government.
Other suspicious accounts include Runyenjes District Hospital accounts numbers 0114148462201 and 0114148462200.
Implicated in the scam are former health accountant Ruth Ndirangu, former medical superintendent Anthony Mulu, former county director of finance Edwin Rugendo, former director for health administration Anthony Mugendi, and former health accountant Musalia Eric.
The county executive also transferred Sh25,700,000 from Embu county treasury to Embu Youth Trust Fund account (0190264375530) at Equity Bank Embu branch, comprising of Sh15,800,000 and Sh9,900,000 transferred on November 9, 2016, and April 30, 2017, respectively.
Additionally, Sh170,517,265 was transferred to Embu county education support fund account number 01141408639900 held at Embu branch in respect to scholarship and bursaries, with an unspent balance of Sh10,821,866 in the account.
Another scandal involves tree seedlings procured by the county government at a whopping Sh17.5 million in the 2016/2017 financial year, with the real money used being Sh17.5 million on the supply of tree seedlings procured from Kenya Forest Services on March 13, 2017.
