T
he on-going probe into financial misappropriation in Nandi County has turned tragic after a senior official committed suicide after he was allegedly linked to the scam.
Kevin Kemboi, a procurement officer, hanged himself and left a suicide note citing frustrations related to forensic financial audit ordered by Governor Stephen Sang two weeks ago.
He worked in the Health department during the tenure of former Governor Cleophas Lagat regime before he was moved to the lands docket.
PROBE
Several senior officials in the Health department have been ordered to go on compulsory leave to pave way into loss of millions of shillings.
“The note highlights frustrations he has been subjected to following the audit. He puts the blame on some senior officials which he felt is supposed to carry the cross and not him,” said Peter Wambani, the County police commandant.
According to Mr Wambani, the deceased told his wife to prepare him a cup of tea before she left for bed as he continued to watch a football match in the sitting room.
DANGLING BODY
“When she went back to the sitting room, the husband was missing and after a search she found his lifeless body dangling on a tree in the cattle shed within their compound,” said the police boss.
The acting county secretary Francis Sang said the deceased had not been asked to take responsibility in the alleged financial mismanagement since investigations were not yet complete.
“The audit process is on-going and I am surprised that he decided to take his life when no action had been taken against him since we do not want to pre-empt the findings,’ said Mr Sang.
Governor sang has invited officials from the office of the auditor general to carry out an independent audit to establish funds lost through fraud during his predecessor Cleophas Lagat’s regime and action taken against responsible individuals
The health and the finance departments are some of the key departments which are under close watch in the audit with millions of public funds said to have been lost through dubious deals.
Last month, the Governor dissolved the county’s health management board and all the hospital management committees with the county health executive officer Mathew Rotich, chief officer Edward Serem and county director of health Daniel Kemboi being suspended.
