By Andrew Kariuki
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested three senior officials from the Garissa County Government over alleged fraudulent payments amounting to Ksh 51,495,516.
The suspects are Member of County Assembly (MCA) for Balambala Ward, Abdi Ibrahim Daar, who is also the sole director of Qorjarey Enterprise & General Supplies Limited, former Director of Accounting Services for Garissa County, Mohamud Dubow Korane and former Senior Principal Economist, Yussuf Bethe Ali.
According to the Commission, the arrests follow investigations into payments made to Qorjarey Enterprise & General Supplies Limited for goods and services that were never delivered.
The payments, which were made between August 2021 and September 2022, were purportedly for the supply of emergency relief food items and water trucking services.
EACC investigations established that the company was irregularly paid the full amount of Ksh 51,495,516 without any goods, works or services being provided to the County Government.
Further findings revealed that there was no approved procurement plan or budgetary provision for the purported services during the 2021/2022 financial year.
The Commission also noted that Qorjarey Enterprise & General Supplies Limited was not among the prequalified suppliers for the financial years 2021/2022 and 2022/2023.
Additionally, investigators found that documents were allegedly forged to facilitate and support the irregular payments.
EACC further alleges that Mohamud Dubow Korane and Yussuf Bethe Ali processed and approved the payments in favour of the company without following procurement procedures and despite the services not being rendered.
Investigations also revealed that Abdi Ibrahim Daar, who previously served as a Social Development Officer in Garissa County between 2018 and 2022, is the sole director and bank signatory of the company that received the funds.
Following completion of investigations, the Commission forwarded the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who approved charges against the three suspects.
They are facing multiple charges including conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption, abuse of office, forgery and fraudulent acquisition of public property under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act and the Penal Code.
The suspects, who were arrested on February 22, 2026, are expected to be arraigned before the Garissa Law Courts for plea taking.
In addition to the criminal proceedings, EACC has indicated that it will pursue civil action to recover the allegedly lost public funds.
