A parliamentary committee has directed that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission investigates individuals at the prisons department over the procurement of Sh43.27 million bulletproof jackets. The legislators said those found culpable should be prosecuted.
In a report on the examination of the Auditor-General’s report on the accounts of the national government tabled in the National Assembly on Wednesday, the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly notes that despite the money being spent, the ballistic plates for the bulletproof jackets remain undelivered.
PROCUREMENT
“The committee was unable to ascertain value for money in the procurement and that the matter remains unresolved,” the committee chaired by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, says.
Procurement records presented to the auditors show that the department procured 300 bulletproof jackets and a similar number of bulletproof vests at Sh22.3 million and Sh21 million respectively.
However, an audit revealed that the body armours received do not have ballistic panels and cannot be used to protect staff against rifle fire, ammunition, knife stab and sharp or pointed objects.
“In the circumstances, the State Department has not obtained the value for money in respect of the expenditure as required by the Public Finance Management Act, 2012,” the committee says.
DISTRIBUTED
According to Ms Zainab Hussein, Principal Secretary in charge of Correctional Services, the items were purchased and distributed but did not include the ballistic panels to protect against rifle fire and pointed instruments.
“The purchases were for use on a pilot basis and training and not for combat purpose in Prisons Staff Training College and a few selected Maximum-Security Prisons.
This is also to bring to your attention that the local purchase order raised only requested for bulletproof jackets as stated in the specifications,” Ms Hussein says.
She added; “The ballistic plate is an additional item in the specifications which was not included in the order. All the items stated in the order were received and tested.”