How Nairobi county is losing millions in parking fraud
By LILLIAN MUTAVINairobi County Government is losing Sh 20 million per month as revenue collection through fraudulently obtained bank pay-in slips receipts as payment for seasonal parking by Public Service Vehicles.
Last week over 30 matatus and taxis registered under Embassava, Kilgoris, Killeton and Trans-safaris Sacco’s were impounded after their managements presented fake banking receipts as payment for seasonal parking.
Speaking to Nation on phone, head of parking services Tom Tinega issued a stern warning to matatu Saccos presenting fake bank receipts stating that their certificates will be banned.
“Investigations are ongoing with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission in conjunction with the County Criminal investigation department. Any sacco found culpable of the offence will have its licence of operation withdrawn,” said Mr Tinega.
Mr Tinega said bank slips from the Cooperative Bank looked genuine and were discovered at the cash office after the systems were down and the county contacted the bank only to find no money had been deposited.
COUNTERFEIT SLIPS
The counterfeit slips does not give details of the time of the transaction and the teller number is not available at the banks adding that they are made by someone conversant with the bank systems.
He said that in the next one week the county will do an audit of all the sacco’s by holding meetings with the officials who will give a list of its registered vehicles and the payments made to the county.
He said that no sacco will escape as they will countercheck on how the money was moved from the sacco account to the county government.
“Those who think that they will not be caught are mistaken as City Hall will demand that all saccos to present a list of the registered vehicles and the way they transacted the payment to the county,”said Mr Tinega.
He added that the saccos from Mount Kenya region had already started the exercise and it will be done in all the 315 saccos operating in the city.
COUNTY REVENUE
The head of parking said that the cartel is deep-rooted and seems to have been working for a long time in defrauding the county of its revenue.
He also said that they will meet with sacco officials who might not be aware of the fraud as some of the payments are made by junior officers.
“We will take stock of all the saccos and how they have been doing their payments,”said Tinega.
City Hall has the more than 30 matatus and taxis towed at the county’s Haile Selassie yard and will be released only if they pay the required money.
The department of parking carried out a system audit report that indicated that 29,059 matatus access the Central Business District (CBD) on a daily basis where only 12,124 pay for parking while 16,935 are non-compliant.
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