DPP NoordinHaji has ordered the arrest of Garissa Governor Ali Korane and four county officials over the alleged theft of Sh235m World Bank cash.
In March, the Governor was grilled by anti-graft detectives over alleged embezzlement of Sh233 million donor cash.
It is alleged that the funds, which were meant for infrastructural development of the Garissa Municipal Board, were irregularly diverted to personal accounts.
The monies were then withdrawn in cash by county officials and close associates of the governor, EACC documents show.
It’s further alleged that most of the projects listed to have been undertaken could not be verified on the ground.
The KUSP is a Sh32 billion, five-year project by the World Bank targeting 45 counties aimed at improving infrastructure.
The programme only excludes the city counties of Nairobi and Mombasa.
Besides KUSP, the World Bank has been pumping a lot of cash in North Eastern counties, a region historically underserved and performing below national average on development indicators.
Last year, a company associated with Korane’s brother was paid more than Sh48 million from county coffers for a tender in 2018, raising issues of conflict of interest.
Mohamed Bunow Korane was paid Sh48 million through his firm, Akad Construction Company Ltd, to put up a state lodge for the Governor in Bura, Fafi constituency.
Shortly after the allegations emerged, Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji ordered Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai to look into alleged mismanagement and misappropriation in the county.
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In an official letter then, Haji said that his office has been receiving numerous complaints on the matter.
“Pursuant to Article, 157(4) of the Constitution, you are directed to conduct comprehensive investigations on Garissa County Funds and forward the resultant file to my Office for directions,” Haji said.
Korane now joins the long list of governors on the EACC radar with the commission saying counties have become the new graft bastions.
