BY MATHEWS NDANYI
There is tension among senior officers in Nandi a few days after the EACC raided the county headquarters in Kapsabet to probe a payroll scam.
The county is said to have lost more than Sh3 billion paid to more than 1,800 workers who were hired illegally.
The anti-graft officials seized crucial documents to help investigate the alleged embezzlement of public funds.
“Upon completion of the investigation, the outcome will inform appropriate action, which may include prosecution of the suspects and recovery of any public funds unlawfully paid to individuals,” the EACC said in a statement.
Sources indicate the EACC is likely to summon or arrest several senior county officials to record statements over the scam, which has paralysed almost all county operations in the last one month.
EACC said it is investigating the scheme involving unlawful payments to ghost workers and other payroll irregularities in Nandi government.
The raid came after the county failed to comply with the commission’s order to provide the required documents to its offices by September 30.
The EACC said the operation, which is pursuant to court orders, has yielded valuable evidentiary material that will support the ongoing investigation. Commission spokesman Eric Ngumbi confirmed the raid.
There was drama as staff at the county offices fled when the EACC team arrived and raided several offices, which include that of the county secretary, public service board, communication, health, payroll and human resources.
Governor Stephen Sang last month blew the whistle on the payroll scam.