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In a case that exposes how public servants exploit bureaucracy for personal gain, two National Treasury officials have been caught red-handed siphoning public money by misusing outdated and unauthorized circulars. These documents—once legitimate—had long been withdrawn or replaced. However, the accused saw an opportunity: reviving these voided advisories to justify hefty and illegal allowances.
With knowledge of internal protocols and approval loopholes, they cleverly bypassed standard oversight, submitting payments listed as facilitation, entertainment, task force, and extraneous allowances. These payments lacked any sanctioning by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), a constitutional authority tasked with managing public wage structures. Their intent was simple—get rich under the radar.
On June 4, 2025, Lady Justice Lucy Mwihaki of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division ruled that the two officials had fraudulently enriched themselves and were in clear violation of Article 230 of the Constitution, which vests wage approval authority in the SRC. The ruling ordered them to return the stolen funds in full.
The male officer was directed to repay Ksh20.3 million, with Ksh11 million already frozen in his account. The female official was ordered to return Ksh18.8 million, including nearly Ksh9 million already seized by the state. The balance from each is to be paid in cash, marking one of the most decisive recoveries in recent public-sector graft cases.
The EACC began investigating the matter in mid-2022, following reports from whistleblowers within the Treasury. The pattern of payment manipulation became evident quickly: overlapping allowances were being disbursed routinely over two and a half years, beginning in January 2020 and running through to June 2022.
These payments did not align with existing SRC advisories or budget approvals. What made the fraud more egregious was the use of duplicated circulars—altered versions of official documents—that the officials used to mask the unlawful enrichment scheme.
Article 230 of Kenya's Constitution is unambiguous—the Salaries and Remuneration Commission has the final say on all public compensation. This ruling reaffirmed that no official, regardless of their rank or expertise in finance, can bypass that authority.
The court emphasized that the two officials were not merely ignorant or negligent—they acted with intent, fully aware of the illegitimacy of the documents they used to authorize their own payments. Their conduct not only violated legal statutes but also undermined public confidence in the fiscal integrity of key national institutions.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission hailed the ruling as a significant victory in the war against graft. More than just about the money, the recovery sends a strong signal to public officers still playing fast and loose with state resources.
“The era of walking away with stolen money is ending,” said a source close to the investigations. The Commission has vowed to intensify surveillance and tracking of rogue payments within government departments.
This case may serve as a watershed moment, reminding civil servants that not only are the days of unregulated perks gone, but the walls are also closing in on those still clinging to outdated methods of corruption.
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