Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations yesterday commenced investigations into an alleged postpaid billing fraud at Kenya Power.
The detectives quizzed tens out of the over 200 Kenya Power staff and customers summoned on June 27 to the DCI headquarters. Millions of shillings are suspected to have been lost.
According to DCI director George Kinoti, the monies were lost as a result of collusion between the staff, brokers and over 5,000 customers.
Among those summoned are directors at the company and private companies implicated, as well as individuals who police believe were beneficiaries.
Those listed will report to the DCI headquarters on diverse dates in July for questioning.
A source at DCI headquarters told the Star that those who recorded statements with the detectives did so individually.
“Tens of the suspects have already recorded their statements with the detectives, more are still doing so,” he said.
Journalists who went to the DCI headquarters to follow up on the story were unable to identify the suspects as there was no dedicated desk for the Kenya Power cases.
This is the latest of fraud cases that have hit the state-owned parastatal.
In July last year, senior managers at the electricity company were arrested and prosecuted over the procurement of defective transformers and the irregularities in pre-qualifying 525 companies.
In an audit report, 350 out 500 contractors were found not to have met the set criteria, leading to the dismissal of 18 Kenya Power staff.
The audit report recommended the investigation of 19 Kenya Power employees that were suspected to have shortlisted companies registered by relatives and associates.
Managing Director Ken Tarus, who ordered the audit, was suspended following the irregularities.
(edited by O. Owino)
