Three Machakos Hospital staffers sacked for allegedly misappropriating public funds

Three Machakos Level 5 Hospital staffers have been sacked for allegedly misappropriating public funds while in the line of duty.

They were reportedly sacked by Machakos County health executive Daniel Yumbya on Thursday.

Yumbya is said to have issued the three their termination letters at Machakos police station where they had been detained hours after their arrests.

He said he was informed of the arrests at around 6.30 pm on Thursday.

“I was informed that one of a patient’s relatives had arrived at Machakos Level 5 Hospital and issued a bribe to the three staffers,” Yumbya told reporters at Machakos police station Thursday evening.

He said the patient attendant was the link in the syndicate.

“She was bribed Sh5,000 while the patient had a pending bill of Sh10,800. The money was loaded on M-Pesa and edited,” Yumbya said.

Yumbya said only Sh100 out of the Sh5,000 was wired into the Machakos County Government’s account.

“But, a receipt of Sh10, 800 issued and we have it,” he said.

“So, when the patient was being sneaked out, the hospital’s security personnel intercepted and alerted the facility’s bosses leading to the suspects’ arrest. They are here at the police station.” 

He said there were cartels in the hospital.

Yumbya claimed as the county government’s leadership, they were aware that the cartels involved in the syndicate had been sneaking patients out of the hospital thereby evading clearing hospital bills denying Governor Wavinya Ndeti’s administration revenue.

He said they had earlier reported the same to the police and requested permission to be allowed to arrest the culprits.

“When the money was exchanging hands, our officers were following. The security personnel trailed as the money changed hands, transferred to a mobile phone, and the M-Pesa message was edited. They trailed the process until they got to the patient,” Yumbya said.

Yumbya said the hospital’s IT personnel had been also tracking the transactions in their system.

He said public money won’t be squandered by individuals.

“There will be no more theft in the hospital. For this to be a lesson to them and others, we are leaving them here at the police station. I take this opportunity to inform them that I have sacked them," he said.

"Their sacking letters have been processed and I’m issuing them with the termination letters immediately.”

The health executive then reportedly handed each of the suspects a termination letter.

Yumbya claimed said some health workers were colluding with others to steal from the County Government of Machakos.

“Governor Wavinya Ndeti has said there is no forgiveness for those found stealing from her administration,” Yumbya said.

The trio was detained at the same police station as detectives commenced investigations into the incident.