Cord leader Raila Odinga has obtained details on how Sh51 million was stolen from the County government of Kilifi.
Investigations indicate that the money was lost from Account No 1000170198 held at the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) in Nairobi where passwords of ten County officials are said to have been used to make the transactions.
All the officials have however denied using their passwords to make the transaction both at the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMIS) and internet banking Systems.
"I must commend the County government of Kilifi for the decisive manner in which it has handled this fraud. The county government took very clear and specific measures to get to the bottom of this fraud from the moment it got to the attention of the county’s leadership," Raila said when he addressed the press in Mombasa, Wednesday.
The matter was raised with area governor Amason Kingi on October 10, and further instructed all the investigative organs, be informed.
According to Odinga, the County government of Kilifi also immediately suspended the ten officials implicated in the fraud, pending conclusion of investigations.
"The County government of Kilifi rightly decided that suspects cannot be investigated while they hold office nor could they be the ones guiding the investigations."
On October 11, 2016, the county government wrote to the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Ndegwa Muhoro, to start investigating the matter.
The county followed up with other letters to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and Head of Banking Fraud Unit and cyber crime to ake up the matter.
On the October 17, Kingi called a meeting with the DCI, Head of Banking Fraud Unit at Central Bank (CBK) and EACC to demand for progress reports on the investigations.
"On the 21st October 2016, the Governor wrote to the Director of IFMIS in Nairobi and on the same day led a delegation to hand deliver the letter and hold a meeting with IFMIS officials to discuss the matter and requested for speedy investigations,'' said Odinga.
On October 24, 2016, the County government wrote to IFMIS requesting that the passwords used in the suspicious payment be withdrawn or retired.
On October 28, 2016, IFMIS wrote to the county and gave details of the transactions which showed which passwords were used.
As things stand today, Raila said the county government was fully aware of which companies the monies were fraudulently wired to, and the names behind the companies.
Kilifi County government has established that the money went to real human beings, with companies and physical addresses and not to ghosts.
"Now this looks like a commitment to getting to the bottom of loss of public money. The County government of Kilifi did not begin by defending the suspects. They have not begun by denying that money was lost."
He noted Kingi and his government did not seek to spread the blame and pass the buck.
"They have not sought excuses by saying who else is suspected of corruption where."