Garissa Governor Korane to be charged today
Garissa Governor Ali Bunow Korane and his four county officials are expected to be charged in court today over the Sh233 million grant fund fraud.
Korane was yesterday grilled at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption (EACC) offices where he arrived at around 6am.
The grilling comes just four days after the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji ordered for his immediate arrest alongside four top County officials.
Korane is accused of colluding with the county officials to illegally divert Sh233,506,000 grant given by the World Bank to finance an urban programme.
The other officials are Ibrahim Nur Malow (former Chief Officer, Finance), Mohammed Ahmed Abdullahi (former Head of Treasury), Abdi Shalle (Municipal Manager), and Ahmed Abdullahi Aden (head of Accounting, Municipal Board).
Investigations by the EACC detectives revealed that the money was to be used on specific projects under the Kenya Urban Support Programme (KUSP) which was part of a Sh30 billion programme launched in 2017 to fund rural urban centres to jumpstart their critical infrastructure.
The five will be charged with conspiracy to commit an offence, wilful failure to comply with the law relating to the management of public funds, misappropriation of public funds and abuse of office.
In Garissa, the money was supposed to be used for construction of Quorey market, construction of storm water drainage and pedestrian walks and recarpeting of Garissa town CBD roads.
Korane’s administration however diverted the funds to other uses and some of it was withdrawn. Sh124 million was diverted to the departments of Water, Health and Garissa Sewerage Company.
Korane, a first-time governor, becomes the sixth sitting governor to be charged in court over corruption as the Multi-Agency Team tightens the noose on corruption.
