Jael Keya
Government’s Auditor General Edward Ouko has revealed that the Judiciary improperly spent Ksh5.4 million to hire a lawyer for Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu.
The Auditor General further stated in the report that lawyer Masha Barasa was irregularly hired as a legal adviser for Justice Mwilu in the 2017/2018 financial year.
The report noted: “The engagement was not subjected to a competitive process to determine the suitability of the candidate for the job.”
Tabling the report in parliament, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale noted that the hiring of Barasa was unnecessary and a waste of taxpayers money.
The report reads in part that there were no “identified knowledge gaps within the Judiciary to necessitate the hiring of a legal counsel.”
Duale noted: “The payment receipts for the year reflects a figure of Ksh63,181,280 for consultancy services.
“Included in this payment is a fee of Ksh5,400,000 paid to a Masha Namusi Barasa, who was legal counsel to the Deputy Chief Justice,” the Garissa Township MP revealed.
Read: Man Files Petition Seeking To Oust ‘Corrupt’ DCJ Philomena Mwilu
Mr Ouko also raised an alarm over the construction and refurbishment of 28 law courts for Ksh6.9 billion countrywide.
According to his finding, at least 13 of the performance bonds by the contractors in the projects had expired.
Ouko also questioned how Judiciary staff were paid Ksh10.7 million as ‘out-of-the-pocket’ reimbursement or domestic travel and subsistence allowances.
The auditor general’s report stated: “It is not clear why impress were not given to the officers for proper accountability.
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