The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has obtained orders court orders to recover KES12.5 million from Kimonge Geoffrey, a former political advisor to ex-Taita Taveta County Governor, John Mruttu.

Kimonge was found guilty of misappropriating public funds by diverting imprest meant for the county assembly into his account. Imprest is a form of advance public funds meant for official expenses.

EACC chief executive Abdi Mohamud hailed the ruling as a key milestone in the fight against corruption. 

''In a judgment delivered by Voi Chief Magistrate Hon. Mildred Obura, the Court found that (the suspect) had illegally and fraudulently acquired the public funds by applying for imprest for fictitious activities while serving as Political Advisor to the former Taita Taveta Governor, John Mruttu,'' Mohamud noted in an update. 

It was further established that the claimed activities were made up and as a result, the withdrawn funds were never used for their intended purposes.

''The Court further found that (the suspect) had unjustly enriched himself with public funds contrary to the law. The Court therefore ordered Mr. Kimonge to pay the Government of Kenya KES12,458,990 together with interest at commercial rates from the date of acquisition until payment in full.''

EACC said that in August 2020, it received a complaint that the former county employee fraudulently acquired a total of KES13,878,587, in form of imprest for allowances for members of county assembly and staff of the devolved unit.

Further, investigations showed that indeed the county worker and advisor to John Mruttu had on different dates sought imprest amounting to roughly KES13.9 million. Consequently, in a civil recovery suit filed in 2022, the watchdog sought to recover the entire amount together with accrued interest. 

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