The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) cleared individuals who supplied Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa), allowing them to receive Ksh2.9 Billion.
The commission directed a letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji, stating that it cleared the suppliers, but indicted senior Kemsa officials.
Last year, President Uhuru Kenyatta had issued a directive to the agencies to probe the Kemsa scandal.
EACC investigated the case and presented findings to the DPP on October 22, 2020, after which the DPP returned the inquiry file for further investigations.
The commission resubmitted the findings after concluding the investigations as they indicated in a Gazette notice dated January 22, 2021.
The stalemate experienced at Kemsa with regard to the payment of pending bills and the release of PPEs to county governments for the fight against Covid-19 is set to be settled as EACC indicted senior officials at Kemsa and not the suppliers.
Reports indicate that out of the total Ksh7.6 billion worth of medical supplies, the authority had only paid Ksh4.7 billion shillings. Therefore, Ksh2.9 billion is yet to be paid.
EACC bayed for the prosecution of six Officials in a quarterly report titled 'EACC/AT/INQ/25/2020 Inquiry Into Allegations of Irregular Procurement and Fraudulent Payments of Covid-19 Emergency Commodities.'
The officials included former Chief Executive Officer Jonah Manjari, his Personal Assistant, Director of Procurement Charles Juma and Director of Commercial Services Eliud Muriithi.
According to the commission, Kemsa exceeded its budget by about Ksh3.2 billion, subverting procurement laws and procedures along with the Public Finance Management procedures.
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