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Duo sues Senator Tabitha Karanja for allegedly embezzling Sh 8.3 million

Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja at a previous function.

Photo credit: COURTESY

By  JOSEPH OPENDA

Correspondent

Mtaa Wangu

Troubles facing Nakuru senator Tabitha Karanja Keroche seem to be deepening after two residents accused her of misappropriating Sh 8.3 million public funds.

The residents; Benson Macharia Kamau and Simon ole Nasieku have sued senator Keroche seeking to have the senators bank accounts frozen, pending audit of the same.

The petition follows an investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on the alleged misuse of funds by Nakuru Senator in the Financial Year 2023/2024.

The petitioners want the Clerk of the Senate to be stopped from releasing any more funds to the Senator through her office bank account, until the independent audit is done on the operation of the account.

The duo wants the audit to be done by a certified Public Accountant enjoined by the Auditor General on the operation of the bank account.

The petitioners have also sued the Clerk of the Senate, County Senator’s Office Manager and the Manager Equity Bank.

According to the petitioners, Sh2.1 million is said to have been used for salaries, Sh2.27 million for public engagement, Sh2.33 million for research and training and Sh1.6 million for printing and advertising.

Mr Macharia in his supporting affidavit claims the Senator colluded with other respondents to illegally perpetrate deceit, fraud and misuse of public funds, contrary to the law.

“The respondents have deceitfully, fraudulently expropriated public funds with naked and unfettered impunity by impersonating the petitioners in particular the 1st respondent under the schemes to deceitfully and fraudulently expropriate public funds entrusted under Articles 225- 227 of the constitution,” reads part of the court document.

Mr Macharia claims the senator’s office forged documents showing that the 11 coordinators, including himself, were receiving salaries of over Sh30,000 per month, which they never received.

The court heard that the bank account registered in the title of the County Senate Office Manager still continues to operate despite the exhibition of deceit and fraudulent schemes to steal public money entrusted to the office.

The money, they claimed, was labelled Financial Returns for oversight Kitty from October 2023 to March 2024

Justice Samwel Mohochi in his ruling directed the two petitioners to serve the senator within three-days.

Ms Keroche on the other hand was directed to respond to the application within the next six days.