DCI to probe payroll fraud in the public service

The Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohamed Amin, has rolled out a plan to hunt down ghost workers and dismantle payroll fraud networks draining government coffers.

While speaking during a press interview alongside the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Geoffrey Ruku, on July 8, DCI Amin confirmed that detectives have received a forensic audit report flagging irregularities amounting to Ksh6.2 billion within the government payroll system.

He stated that the DCI is now fully prepared for the matter, with an evidence-based investigation system already underway into the alleged fraud involving 1,054,425 civil servants from various MDAs and county governments.

“We have received a Human Resource Audit and Forensic report, and we are fully equipped under evidence-based investigation to look into the suspected payroll fraud, including the reported irregularities amounting to Ksh6.2 billion identified in the initial audit report,” stated DCI Amin.

As part of the probe, detectives will start by verifying the personal numbers used during payroll processing, a step meant to wipe out ghost workers embedded within the system.

Investigators will also dig into every unauthorised alteration made to employee records, alongside irregular payments linked to weak internal controls.

In the grand scheme of things, DCI intends to dismantle entire ‘criminal networks’ believed to be behind the manipulation of government payroll systems.

“Our teams will verify the personal numbers used in the payroll processing. We shall further examine all unauthorised alterations to records, all irregular payments, and weak controls and dismantle any criminal network that is involved in the manipulation of our government’s payroll systems,” DCI Amin said.

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He assured Kenyans that the investigation would move swiftly, promising it would be wrapped up within the shortest time possible.

To pull this off, the DCI will be working hand in hand with various state agencies such as the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), asset recovery agencies, and the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC).

Other security agencies are also expected to join the effort, all working to ensure stolen public funds find their way back to government coffers.

Amin further revealed that officials from the National Treasury, internal audit departments, and the Ministry of Public Service would be brought on board to add muscle to the investigations.

He warned that anyone found culpable, regardless of their position or status, would be held accountable under the law, adding that the public would be kept updated as the probe progresses.

This comes immediately after CS Ruku also warned state agencies, departments, parastatals should move into the new unified government payroll system, the Human Resource Information System (HRIS) within a month or risk not being paid salaries. 

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