Unmasking: Museum’s Ksh 500M Heist by Ghost Workers
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has published a report regarding an investigation into the dishonest appropriation of public funds by National Museums of Kenya personnel, who received salaries and benefits as phantom employees.
In an official announcement published on Friday, August 11th, the EACC (Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission) disclosed that they initiated an inquiry after concerned Kenyan citizens’ reports. These reports alleged that personnel within the Norganisation had illicitly included non-existent employees on the payroll.
As per the individuals who exposed the information, several fictitious employees were added to the payroll system from May 2016 to April 2022, receiving an approximate amount of Ksh100,000 each.
“Investigations established that the NMK payroll had 105 ghost workers included between the years 2016 and 2022. The ghost workers were paid a gross salary ranging between Ksh88,000 and Ksh95,000 and gratuity at the rate of 31 percent of the annual basic pay.
“Investigations further established that the ghost workers would retain a percentage of the salaries received and remit the balance to officers at the National Museums of Kenya,” the EACC report read in parts.
The investigators confirmed that the unscrupulous managers had introduced 105 non-existent employees into the system, receiving a combined amount of Ksh491,405,413 in salaries during that specific timeframe.
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“The ghost workers would be given a token of appreciation of between Ksh100,000.00 and Ksh200,000.00 from the loan money,” read the EACC report in parts.
EACC further revealed that the managers acquired loans from a nearby bank by posing as nonexistent employees, prompting the financial establishment to sound the alert.
The document that was sent to the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) on May 5th suggested that the individuals should face six charges related to the improper obtaining of public assets as outlined in Section 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.
NMK officials are also going to face accusations of two instances of collaborating to engage in an economic crime, which goes against the regulations stated in section 47A (3) along with section 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act No.3 of 2003. Additionally, they will be charged with two counts of misusing their authority, as outlined in section 46.
The EACC additionally requested the ODPP to evaluate two instances of obtaining funds from illegal activities and one instance of conducting money laundering, as outlined in section 16 of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2009.
“Additionally, they are supposed to face two counts of Financial Misconduct under section 199 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012,” the EACC report read in parts.
Unmasking: Museum’s Ksh 500M Heist by Ghost Workers
