48 Million Shilling Ghost School Lands Elizabeth Ongoro into Fire

A 48 million school purported to have been built in Kasarani has seen Elizabeth Ongoro summoned by the EACC detectives to explain where the said institution disappeared to or whether it ever was in existence.

Elizabeth Ongoro, a former lawmaker, was the Member of Parliament in Kasarani when 48 million shillings were released for the construction of a school in the constituency which never took off.

In an attempt to recover the 48 million shillings from Ongoro and her team, two suspects who served in the Kasarani NG-CDF tender committee have already been arrested in the wake of Elizabeth Ongoro summons.

The two arrested are the former Kasarani District Development Officer Kefa Omanga Omoi and former Kasarani CDF Committee member Jecinta Akoth Opondi are currently in police custody over the Kasarani ghost school that saw taxpayers cough 48 million shillings.

Elizabeth Ongoro and 18 others have been ordered to present themselves immediately to the EACC offices at the Integrity Centre for questioning failure to which an order for arrest will be sought.

The anti-graft body has been conducting investigations into the open stealing of 48,907,826 shillings of the Kasarani constituency funds and abuse of procurement laws by officials of Kasarani NG-CDF that led to the loss of 48 million shillings.

“The Commission established that the award of the contract for the construction of the school was made without due regard to the procurement laws,” a statement to newsrooms by the EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak reads.

“The school does not exist and that payments were made to different individuals and companies associated to the National Government Constituency Development Fund patron and committee members for services not rendered,” Twalib adds in the press statement.

“The file was submitted to Director of Public Prosecutions who upon review has granted consent to charge 26 individuals and entities with the following offenses,” Twalib notes.

A list of those summoned following the Kasarani Ghost school project includes

1. Mwalim Rashid
2. Ruth Kanini Kitonyi (former Kasarani District development Officer)
3. Silvan Onyango
4. Pamela Mudha
5. Nashon Odongo (former Nairobi provincial accountant)
6. Claperton Ouda
7. Douglas Parshet
8. Vitalis Obunga Ogingo (former regional accountant, Nairobi)
9. Fredinand Masha Kenga
10. Maricus Otieno
11. Peter Aming.
12. Maurice Orongo
13. William Ogutu Weda
14. James Juma Ochieng
15. Peter Ongeyo
16. Charles Owino
17. John Obonyo owinga
18. James Miruka Dola.

The 18 suspects will all face nine charges of conspiracy to commit the offence of corruption, misappropriation of public funds, abuse of office, engaging in a project without prior planning, unlawful acquisition of public property and willful failure to comply with the law relating to procurement.