•The committee also stated that during its investigations, the goods and services provided during the period under review totaling Sh28, 147,580 could not be verified.
•PAC has recommended that the Ethics and anticorruption commission (EACC) and Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI take action against the officials.
Image: FILE
Five ex-City Hall officials are on the spot over allegations of unaccounted millions of shillings in the Nairobi County Alcoholic Drinks Control and Licencing Board.
As a result, Nairobi MCAs want investigative agencies to take action in order to recover the money.
The officials include a former director of the Nairobi County Alcoholic Drinks Control and Licencing Board Hesbon Agwena, Liquor Board Accountant Julius Matekwa, Liquor Board Director and former Nairobi Trade Cabinet Executive Committee (CEC) member Allan Igambi, former Trade Chief Officer and County Secretary Jairus Musumba and former Trade Chief Officer Mohamed Sahal.
This is according to a report tabled in the County Assembly on June 27, 2023, by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which was investigating the Auditor General’s report, which contained details of cash flows for the year ended 30 June 2020.
The Auditor General report had stated that receipts and payments received were Sh427, 267,499 million but payments worth Sh277, 304,402 were not accounted for.
It was also noted that no supporting documents such as receipt books, cash books, payment vouchers, ledgers and supporting schedules were presented during the audit.
By this, the Ngara MCA Chege Mwaura-led committee observed that the officials violated the Public Finance Management Act 2012 by failing to produce supporting documents for the Financial Year ending June 2020.
As PAC conducted its investigations, it was revealed that the five former officials did not provide supporting vouchers worth Sh96, 586,552 during their tenure in office.
These included Sh3.5 million for monthly sitting allowances, Sh35 million for monthly allowances and Sh58 million for workshop allowances.
The committee also stated that during its investigations, the goods and services provided during the period under review totaling Sh28, 147,580 could not be verified.
The management of the fund failed to provide supporting documents such as an approved procurement plan, receipt vouchers and issue vouchers for the payment of the said goods.
Going further, PAC while doing its inquiry found out that the Liquor board carried out unauthorised payments of Sh77, 684,054 which were paid for the procurement of various services and goods, and approved by unauthorised officers.
It was also revealed that the board irregularly spent Sh777, 071 on hospital bill expenditures.
In addition to that, the board irregularly spent Sh6, 110,126 on air tickets to a company, which was supposed to facilitate the travel of 30 members of the Nairobi City County Sports Management Committee and rehabilitated Football Players to attend the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt in 2019.
“Funds amounting to Sh15 million in respect of the supply of other various goods and services without any supporting documents,” the report reads.
Also with no justification and support provided for audit review, the management of the fund paid an amount totaling Sh8 million to the Ministry of Trade.
As a result, PAC has recommended that the Ethics and anticorruption commission (EACC) and Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI take action against the officials.
“The committee recommends the DCI and EACC takes action to recover Sh96, 586,552 from Mr Allan Igambi, Dr Jairus Musumba, Mr Mohamed Sahal, Mr Hesbon Agwena, Mr Julius Matekwa, and same be apportioned according to the vouchers authorized by each officer during their tenure in office,” reads part of the recommendation from the committee.