By Mercy Mwai @wangumarci
The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti has opened fresh investigations into suspected scandal at Huduma Centres after it emerged they cannot account for Sh266 million collected from issuance of Certificate of Good Conduct.
Interior PS Karanja Kibicho yesterday said the ministry had written to the DCI to probe the matter after he admitted the revenue was not transferred to him yet he is the one to receive the revenue for the State department.
Kibicho regretted the sistuation has left the ministry in a dilemma because they cannot terminate the contract with Huduma Centres since such a move would paralyse service delivery to millions of Kenyans.
He said although Sh639.5 million was collected after 639,546 certificates were issued at an application fee of Sh1,000 each, only Sh373.2 million was remitted to the ministry and the balance of Sh266.2 million cannot be accounted for.
The Sh373.2 million includes Sh55.1 million and Sh318.1 million surrendered by the DCI headquarters and DCI county offices, respectively. “We have raised the matter with DCI and investigations have started on this Huduma Centre,” he said.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by Opiyo Wandayi, to respond to audit queries for the year ending June 2017, Kibicho said the ministry is dissatisfied with the services being offered by the Huduma Centres and want a solution to the matter.
Accompanied by top officers from his ministry, Kibicho also revealed that while the ministry entered into contract with Huduma Centre, he is aware that they entered into another contract with Postal Corporation of Kenya, which collects the money on their behalf.
