The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has approved charges against directors of several hospitals and government officials over an alleged Ksh11 billion fraud linked to the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Director of Public Prosecutions Nelson Ingonga confirmed that his office had received and reviewed investigation files submitted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations between January 28 and February 24 concerning suspected fraudulent activities within SHA.
According to the DPP, the charges target directors from various healthcare facilities across the country as well as employees from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council over alleged fraudulent registration and payments made to the facilities.
The approved charges include operating unlicensed healthcare facilities, conspiracy to defraud, unauthorised access to computer systems and abuse of office.
In a statement, the ODPP said it remains committed to executing its constitutional mandate and ensuring accountability under the law.
On its part, the DCI assured Kenyans that investigations into fraudulent activities within the health sector will be intensified. The agency said it is undertaking comprehensive forensic tracing, intelligence gathering and multi-agency collaboration to ensure all those involved, regardless of status, are brought to justice.
The latest development comes barely a month after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale vowed to make public the names of hospitals and firms implicated in Ksh11 billion fraudulent claims flagged and rejected by SHA’s fraud detection system.
In a statement issued on January 29, Duale revealed that Ksh11 billion in SHA funds remained unaccounted for following what he described as systematic fraud by some medical facilities.
He maintained that the rejected claims would not be paid, insisting the decision was based on due process, forensic audits and professional review.
The approval of charges now sets the stage for what could become one of the biggest health sector fraud cases in recent years, with authorities signalling that no individual will be shielded from prosecution.
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