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CID probe tea factory over payments scandal
- Details
- Published on Monday, 04 June 2007 03:47
In a letter signed by Y M Ismail on behalf of Justice Ringera, the Nyanza Provincial Criminal Investigations Officer (PCIO) was directed to investigate alleged misappropriation of cess funds on diverse dates, between November last year and February. " Investigate and take appropriate action against culprits," the letter dated July 12 reads. Abuga, who is a shareholder, has recorded a statement at the local CID office. The detectives will be questioning the factory’s board of directors, the chairman, the vice-chairman, the factory unit manager, accountant, cess chairman and the supervisor.
But Abuga expressed concern yesterday over the outcome of the probe after some of the detectives summoned some of those implicated to a local bar hours after he had recorded his statement.
"I expected them to visit the factory or at least summon them to the office to obtain their side of the story, not to call them to a bar," Abuya said. At the same time, Kacc has been asked to investigate a secondary school in Nakuru District over alleged misappropriation of Sh800,000.
The board of governors of Naivasha Girls Secondary School has also written to the Minister of Education seeking the replacement of the principal. Auditors from the ministry’s headquarters have visited the school. The school has been leading in Naivasha division for over 10 years but there are fears that performance could drop. The struggle between the BoG and the school’s principal, Ms Pauline Kinyua has seen the board threaten to resign en masse.
The embattled principal took over three months ago from Ms Elizabeth Njoroge, who was transferred to Moi Forces Lanet. According to documents availed to The Sunday Standard, the board is concerned with the falling academic standards and the irregular appointment of the deputy principal.
In a letter to the Education PS, the BoG chairman, Mr John Njenga, says the principal had bought two computers at Sh130,000 without the board’s approval. She is accused of acquiring a telephone system worth Sh70,000 and without following the procurement procedure.
"The executive board is alarmed as the school has over 20 fully operational computers while the telephone system was functional," reads the letter in part. Dated July 31, the letter called for auditors to scrutinise the school’s accounts and the supply of meat to the institution.
The principal has admitted that there is a problem in the school but says they are in the "process of healing" and would like to forget the past. "What you are telling me is in the past as we have discussed the issue with my seniors and solved the problem," she said when contacted.
