Ghost School Scam: EACC Recovers Ksh.11M Stolen By MoE Employee
A Ministry of Education employee fraudulently acquired Ksh.11.1 million in cash and assets on various occasions between August 2017 and June 2018, according to court orders received by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
According to reports, Joshua Momanyi Ocharo, a staff member of the ministry’s State Department of Early Learning and Basic Education, created a fictitious school before directing funds intended for Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) to the fictitious institution he claimed was situated in Khwisero, Kakamega County.
Ocharo was assigned the responsibility of establishing the schedule for the distribution of FDSE monies in his capacity as a clerical officer in the aforementioned department.
According to a source at EACC, “EACC has won a case it had filed in the High Court to recover Ksh.11,131,305.53 from one Joshua Momanyi Ocharo.”
“Momanyi created a ghost school called ‘Mundeku Secondary School and added its name in the payment records, and always inserted his personal bank account number, 0520191315774 held at Equity Bank, Nyamira Branch against the ghost school for purposes of processing of payments between 22nd August 2017 and 18th June, 2018.”
The suspect reportedly deposited Ksh.3.4 million into his KCB account after receiving the aforementioned money, which he then used to buy two parcels of land in Donyo Sabuk and Mavoko, each worth Ksh.830,000 and Ksh.980,000, respectively.
He spent Ksh. 2,350,000 for a Toyota Vanguard vehicle in a similar manner.
“Although Ocharo embezzled Ksh.11,131,305.53, the Commission’s case focused on the recovery of Ksh.9,231,305.53, which had been unlawfully deposited into his personal bank account as a result of the fraudulent activities,” according to the EACC source.
“A sum of Ksh.1,900,000 was relinquished by Ken Carz Limited, which represented a portion of the amount Ocharo had paid towards the purchase of a Toyota Vanguard vehicle.”
On October 5, Milimani High Court Judge Nixon Sifuna issued the decision, concluding that Ocharo had obtained the aforementioned money fraudulently and ordering the State to receive the two pieces of land he had purchased.
“Land parcels L.R No. Donyo Sabuk/ Komarock Block 1/78331 and Mavoko Town Block 3/66539 are proceeds of crime having been purchased with stolen public funds, and therefore liable for forfeiture to the Government of Kenya,” said Justice Sifuna.
“The defendant should pay Kes. 7,421, 305.53, which is the sum he kept after buying the aforementioned land properties. From the moment of the loss, interest will be paid at court rates of 12 percent.
Ghost School Scam: EACC Recovers Ksh.11M Stolen By MoE Employee
