• In a letter seen by the Star, Samboja asked DCI to swiftly investigate a syndicate believed to be behind the huge wage bill.
• The Investigations shall cover the period between 2013 and 2019.
Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja has called on Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to probe officers in the county's human resource department over ghost workers and casuals.
Samboja said the ballooning number of ghost workers led to increase in wage bill.
In a letter seen by the Star, Samboja asked DCI to swiftly investigate a syndicate believed to be behind the huge wage bill.
"Please but urgently, undertake a thorough but comprehensive investigation into the county government's pay roll system to ascertain if there is any criminality and possible prosecution of those capable." The letter reads in part.
The Investigations shall cover the period between 2013 and 2019.
The county boss pointed out that the county lacks authoritative list of workers thus giving room for graft by casuals and ghost workers.
"As at today, it is improbable for one to ascertain with authority the number of employees on the County's payroll, even the much hyped headcount is not a walk in the park as many perceived." Samboja said.
Samboja's move comes even as the county prepares to launch a biometric headcount of workers to verify academic qualifications, rationalise staff and remove ghost workers.
Last month, County Assembly's Public Accounts Committee Chairman Christopher Mwambingu said the headcount shall weed out ghost workers who have been syphoning millions of shillings.
The inflated wage bill is as high as Sh1.2 billion, he said.
"According to the Commission on Revenue Allocation, Taita Taveta is among the counties with [exceptionally] high wage bills.
We don't understand how this is possible since our county is so small compared to other counties," Mwambingu said.