Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) are narrowing in on the former corrupt governor of Siaya County, Cornel Rasanga, over multi-billion shillings he stole from the devolved unit during his ten year tenure.
EACC has embarked on reviewing corruption cases related to Siaya County before forwarding the files to the office of the DPP for recommendations and arrest.
The developments on the arrest of Rasanga are emerging barely three months after the agency launched investigations into the Sh400 million theft involving the former governor and top officials who worked in his administration.
A statement by EACC revealed that the rogue county officials illegally siphoned county funds within 12 days after the August 9 general election.
“EACC has launched investigations into alleged theft of Sh400 million through illegal withdrawals by Senior Officials of the Siaya County Government during the transition period following the August 2022 General Election,” the statement read.
The anti-graft body said the officials defied new Governor James Orengo’s impediment on payment of allowances and pending bills and went ahead and fraudulently wired the public funds to their own accounts.
“It is alleged that despite a moratorium stopping procurements, payment of allowances and pending bills by the new Siaya Governor, the officials went ahead and fraudulently paid themselves hundreds of Millions of public funds,” it added.
EACC found that crooked officials in the finance department received 6 payments in the period between August 31 and September 6, 2022.
The payments were Sh225,000 said to have funded travel cost, Sh200,000 for hotel accommodation, Sh120,000 on advertisement and public campaign, Sh250,000 utilized on tuition fees and another Sh93 000 on other tuition fees.
Another key official in Rasanga’s government received 3 payments including Sh200,000, Sh425,000 and Sh125,000 for travel, daily subsistence, and bank service respectively.
In another case, EACC found out that Sh112 million was wired from the county executive bank account to clerks of various county assembly committees, with the clerks receiving up to five payments in one day.
The massive looting was flagged by Governor Orengo who alerted the investigative authorities over serious embezzlement of funds and administrative malpractices in Siaya County.
The looting was orchestrated by the former governor who had initially bragged that he could not be touched since he was enjoying the protection of ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Mr. Odinga is the chief beneficiary of looted money from governors elected on ODM ticket. A fraction of the billions looted during Rasanga’s regime is said to have been channeled towards the campaign of his failed presidential bid.
Rasanga, his relative Onyango and a host of other officials behind the rot in Siaya County will not escape looming arrest.
Onyango was strategically planted in a plum position to aid dubious deals by the former governor. He was among those affected when governor Orengo took over and sent all County chief officers on compulsory leave following an outcry by the residents of Siaya and elected leaders from the county.
Rasanga’s tenure was marked with multiple scams including the one involving air tickets in 2018. The DPP recommended prosecution of the former governor after he used taxpayers’ money to buy holiday air tickets for his family members and friends.
He spent Sh141 million irregularly to pay a mix of business, economy and first class tickets for his wife, children, relatives and political friends, prompting EACC to recommend for his prosecution over abuse of office and unlawful acquisition of a benefit.
“Investigations established that the county government of Siaya, on instructions of the governor, paid for the air tickets for his family members and friends in the financial years 2013/2014, 2014/2015 and 2015/2016,” EACC said.
