Court Orders Arrest of Senior Kisumu Official Over Fraud and Forged Documents
The Milimani Anti-Corruption Court has issued an arrest warrant for Kisumu County City Manager, Michael Abala Wanga, after he failed to appear in court to respond to several serious charges.
Wanga is facing accusations of forgery, presenting false documents, and fraudulently obtaining public funds from the county government.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Wanga is alleged to have altered an official letter so he could attend the CLEAN Air Forum in Lagos, Nigeria, which took place from July 8 to July 12, 2024.
By using this altered document, he reportedly obtained Ksh283,402 in excess facilitation payments from the Kisumu County Government.
Prosecutors explained to the court that the falsified letter—purporting to be from the University of Lagos—was presented as genuine to justify the extra allowances.
The ODPP confirmed the development, saying, “Today, we secured arrest warrants for Kisumu County official Michael Wanga over forged documents used to fraudulently acquire public funds.”
In addition to this case, Wanga is facing more accusations, including the fraudulent acquisition of public property valued at Ksh8,701,091.
Another serious allegation is that he forged a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate, indicating he had a mean grade of C+, and presented it as an authentic document issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
Senior Principal Magistrate Zipporah Gichana issued the arrest warrant after Wanga failed to show up in court, with the case now set for mention on November 25 of this year.
These legal troubles come shortly after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) summoned the City Manager over claims that he forged both travel and employment documents.
The alleged forgery was reportedly meant to facilitate the payment of allowances to a female individual who is not an employee of the county.
Wanga had been ordered to present himself at the EACC Headquarters at the Integrity Centre in Nairobi for processing and arraignment, but he did not comply.
The summons followed approval from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to formally charge him over the allegations.
Wanga’s case adds to a growing list of government officials currently under EACC investigation as the commission steps up its crackdown on corruption.
On Friday, the EACC also arrested Josphat Kabeabea, the Chair of the Board of Directors at the Anti-Counterfeit Authority. Kabeabea is accused of demanding Ksh15 million in bribes while serving in his role at the agency.
His arrest happened on Friday, November 14, during a raid at his home. The commission stated that he allegedly demanded Ksh5 million on November 11 from a Chinese national, after previously accusing the foreigner’s company of dealing in counterfeit products.
These developments highlight the ongoing efforts by anti-corruption agencies to hold public officials accountable and curb the misuse of public resources in Kenya.
Join Government Official WhatsApp Channel To Stay Updated On time
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
