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A Senate oversight committee has asked the Ethics and anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate the Busia County Assembly over financial improprieties.

This is after the Senate County Public Accounts Committee fingered the County Assembly Speaker Fred Odilo for spending public funds without documentation, doctoring of documents and failing to account for retirement benefits deducted from staff.

Falling short of declaring the assembly a “crime scene”, the committee chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ (pictured) flagged financial misappropriation running into millions of shillings at the county assembly.

During the grilling, it was revealed that the County Assembly spent Sh2.3million on a report writing retreat between February 3 and 9, 2021 but could not provide documents like attendance register and programme of works or receipts to prove that the retreat happened.

Acting Clerk Ms Caroline Apaa told the committee that she is yet to get documents regarding the retreat.
Instead, the acting Clerk requested the committee for more time to get the necessary documents.

However, Okiya Omtata (Busia) reminded Ms Apaa that the law does not give people room to manufacture records or evidence, cautioning the clerk against buying more time for the accused, telling her to let the accused carry his or her own cross.

“Just tell us the money has been stolen and the suspects go and clear their names before the investigative agencies. If there are no records, then there are no records. If you cannot trace the documents, then it means the money has been stolen,” said Omtata.

On his part, Kajwang’ questioned the acting Clerk why she needed more time yet she had been in office for almost a year and has not gotten the documents.