Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero Facing Probe over Dubious Withdrawal of Sh7.8 Billion

Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero is facing probe over fresh scandal involving the loss of Sh7.8 billion at the County Hall.

Kidero is being investigated alongside nine other officials who worked under him during his tenure as city Governor.

The probe follows a recommendation from Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), which established that the cash was withdrawn from county bank accounts.

“From the foregoing, it’s prudent to conclude that the large amounts of money were embezzled from the revenue collection accounts of Nairobi City County government through a raft of illegal and irregular transactions,” a report by FRC stated.

The probe is jointly being carried out by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

FRC said successive withdrawal of more than Sh7.8 million from Nairobi county government accounts were done between April 2014 and August 2017.

“The cash withdrawals were subjected to ‘transfer charges’ of Sh550 or Sh660, especially cash transactions from account number 0810271586663. This is seen as a strategy to camouflage transactions in order to make them appear as funds transfer,” the report by FRC reads.

EACC spokesperson Yasin Amaro confirmed to the Standard that the Commission received the letter from the FRC.

“I can confirm that EACC received the report from FRC and commenced investigations immediately. However, I can’t share details of the probe,” he said.

Also facing probe are directors of four pharmaceutical firms and bank officials who authorised the illegal transactions.

The report further shows that Kidero’s private lawyer received Sh12.5 million drawn from one of the revenue collection accounts.

“If there is anything I am required to respond to, I will look at the papers and respond appropriately,” Kidero told the Standard.

He added: “I am not in charge of procurement and if there was any payment done, it must have followed due process. Before payment, both external and internal auditors have to approve. And as for account opening, there were officers mandated to do the work and not the governor.”