By Ian Ngali
Mr. Mutisya
Mutisya and fellow Commissioner Misco Mwanika and former Head of the Secretariat Paul Kivinda Muisyo made a beeline to the 3rd floor offices at Kiamba Mall to record statements.
Mr Mutisya confirmed that he recorded a statement over the matter, along with other Commissioners and added that he has been in and out of the EACC offices over other matters he did not disclose.
" It is true I recorded a statement and explained that I refunded the money. The officer who made the payment confirmed all this to EACC", he said.
They were summoned along the other board members through letters sent to each of them which were signed by County Secretary Dr. Muya Ndambuki.
Mr. Mutisya went to the offices in the morning and spent some of the time in an interview before he was led into recording as statement over illegal earnings over a false trip to Eldoret between August 15-19, 2023 allegedly to attend the Devolution Conference.
The Commissioners, led by Mutisya were paid between Kes. 122,000 and Kes 108,000 each but did not travel. Those paid include incoming Secretary Juliana Ndunge Mutisya( Kes 108,000) Members Misco, John Kimeu Kumbu, Franklin Musila Makola(Kes 108,000 each) and Mr Muisyo(Kes 108,000). Only Mr Muisyo travelled.
Yesterday, Ms. Misco Mwanika was the second board member to enter the 3rd floor. She was first interviewed and then asked to record a statement before Mr Muisyo popped in the afternoon.
Informed sources say both Mutisya and Misco admitted pocketing the money for use at a Universal Health Care meeting in Masinga.
Inquiries by The Anchor established that there was no scheduled UHC meeting for the board, let alone the county executive. It is alleged that a Chief Officer approved the use of the Eldoret trip cash in the fake Masinga meeting.
But Muisyo stated that the claim for allowances by the Commissioners including the acting Secretary, was raised and paid when they knew they had no travel plan to Eldoret.
Juliana, who had also been summoned did not appear before EACC. She is reported to have received the summons when out of Machakos.
Last week, Juliana was approved by the Machakos County Assembly to be appointed as CPSB secretary- even as the assembly was aware of her questionable status at the board. It has become usual for the assembly to approve unqualified people after their appointment by Governor Wavinya Ndeti.
Mr. Makola and Mr Kumbu are scheduled to visit the commission to give their versions on Wednesday.
The issue of the fraudulent payments has been alive in the county since July this year when Mr. Makola raised the red flag and instructed that what was paid to him be recovered from his salary.
The questioning comes amid cases of illegal earnings by Commissioners through the payroll and employment of hundreds of illiterate staff, some in their seventies, while the county has educated and youthful potential workforce.
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