Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives foiled a Shs. 4.8 billion scam at the prisons department.
EACC Boss Twalib Mbarak says the money was earmarked for payment of security items upfront.
“Money did not leave but the contract had been signed. So it was by sheer luck that the money had not been released because the contract says upon signing payment should be done within 30 days,” said Mr. Mbarak.
According to EACC, officials at the interior ministry and Kenya prisons department had flouted procurement procedures, inflated the cost of goods and approved payments that had not been budgeted for.
The breakdown of the Shs. 4.8 billion payments were as follows: Machine guns were to be procured at a cost of Shs. 428 million, Bullet proof vests at Shs. 2.2 billion, 597 million for g3 riffles, Shs. 342 million for full target riffles, and Shs. 158 million for pistols.
Riffle slings were to be purchased at a total of Shs. 200 million and Shs. 242 million was to be paid to unspecified entities.
Riffle slings which goes for Shs. 200 a piece, was inflated to Shs. 5000 a piece.
Eight individuals, among them former and current principal secretaries at the Interior Ministry as well as a top politician are under investigations in connection with the matter, EACC said.