Reporting of graft up but less cases probed

More Kenyans reported corruption cases last year but fewer were referred for investigation, according to latest official data.

The Economic Survey 2019 released Thursday shows 119 cases were reported in 2018, up from 75 in 2017.

“Corruption cases reported increased by 58.7 percent. The number of corruption reports referred for investigation declined by 22.4 percent 2017/18. However, the total number of ethics and corruption reports forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) increased from 143 in 2016/17 to 183 in 2017/18,” reads the report.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) recovered Sh3.8 billion assets in the period.

A total of 2,898 reports of economic crime were received for investigation in 2018, a decrease for the second year in a row. The number of reports referred to other investigative agencies also dropped from 136 in 2016/17 to 70 in 2017/18.

The number of complainants on economic crimes including obtaining by false pretence, currency forgery and other fraud offences who were advised to seek civil redress more than doubled from 111 in 2016/17 to 328 in 2017/18.

The data also captures the renewed war on corruption with an increase in number of cases forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecution as well as those recommended for prosecution.

“The total number of reports forwarded to ODPP increased by 28.0 per cent to 183 cases in 2017/18,” reads the KNBS report.