The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested three top directors of Ramagon Construction Company Limited in a sweeping crackdown on a public procurement scandal involving over Sh60 million at Matili Technical Training Institute (MTTI) in Bungoma County.
The suspects—Abdi Barre Abdi, Hassan Bare Abdi, and Nagenye Mohamud Dahir—were taken into custody on Tuesday following intensive investigations into allegations of procurement fraud, contract inflation, and asset misappropriation. The arrests were conducted simultaneously in Bungoma, with the individuals now being processed at EACC Headquarters in Nairobi and the Western Regional Office.
According to a statement from the Commission, the probe uncovered that Ramagon Construction, in collusion with unnamed public officials, irregularly inflated a contract for the construction of a twin workshop complex at MTTI from the original Kes. 29.3 million to Kes. 59 million. This led to an overpayment of Kes. 22 million for services that were either not rendered or grossly overvalued.
Further investigations revealed the company also fraudulently claimed an additional Kes. 9 million, prompting the illegal auction of a government-owned driving school vehicle belonging to the institute. The vehicle, valued at Kes. 5.4 million, was reportedly sold for a mere Kes. 1.2 million under suspicious circumstances.
“The Commission has established a clear case of collusion, misrepresentation, and abuse of procurement processes that directly led to massive financial losses to the taxpayer,” said an EACC official familiar with the case.
EACC has indicated that it will be forwarding its investigative findings to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) with recommendations for criminal charges, including fraud, abuse of office, and conspiracy to defraud. Additionally, the Commission is pursuing asset recovery measures to recoup the lost public funds.
This development is part of the EACC’s broader effort to crack down on corruption in public institutions, especially within devolved units and state-sponsored training institutes.
The suspects are expected to be arraigned once the DPP formally charges them in court.
0 $type={facebook}:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.