The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has opened investigations into a string of looting cases at the National Museum of Kenya.

The funds were acquired fraudulently from the period dating between May 2016 and April 2022.

In a gazette notice on Friday, August 11th, EACC disclosed that whistleblowers had informed them of the ‘ghost workers’ on the organisation’s payroll. The suspects manhunt has been launched.

According to the informants, the ghost workers were paid an average of Sh. 100,000 monthly for an extensive period of 8 years.

“Investigations established that the NMK payroll had 105 ghost workers included between the years 2016 and 2022.”

“The ghost workers were paid a gross salary ranging between Sh. 88,000 and Sh. 95,000 and gratuity at the rate of 31% of the annual basic pay,” the EACC statement read in part.

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So far, sleuths have established that rogue managers at the institution hired 105 ghost workers who received a total pay package of Sh. 491.4 million in salaries.

“The ghost workers would be given a token of appreciation of money between Sh. 100,000 and  Sh. 200,000 from the loan money,” the corruption watchdog added.

Furthermore, the managers managed to secure a bank loan using the fabricated identities of ghost workers, triggering concerns from the financial institution.

The report, forwarded to the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (ODPP) on May 5th, recommended the filing of charges against the suspects.

They are to face 6 counts of unlawful acquisition of Public property. They will also face two counts of abuse of office, two counts of conspiracy to commit an economic crime and money laundering.

“Additionally, they are supposed to face two counts of Financial Misconduct under section 199 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012,” the EACC report reads.