Auditor enlists foreign agencies in graft probe

The Auditor-General has enlisted the services of foreign investigative agencies to unravel fraud in government, extending the office’s hand deep in the hunt for corrupt officials who continue stealing public funds.

The office says that in the year to June 2022, it engaged the French Court of Accounts and other investigative agencies in an effort to build its muscle on forensic audits.  

A report by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) on its corporate activities in 2021/22 further notes that during the year, the office conducted eight forensic audits, touching on different government agencies.

“Forensic audits examine an entity’s financial records to check on issues of fraud. We carried out eight forensic audits during the year under review,” the office explained.

The office disclosed that after engaging other agencies to support its forensic audit operations, it has updated its Forensic Audit Manual.

“During the year under review, the Office established engagements with the French Court of Accounts and other investigative agencies to enhance capacity in Forensic audits. We also updated the Forensic Audit Manual,” it stated.

Audit Management System

The OAG added that through the use of the Audit Management System (AMS), its audits have become more effective and seamless leading to the timely finalization of reporting findings.

The office submitted a total of 1,617 audit reports in 2021/22 to Parliament and county assemblies (which will be released to the public in the coming weeks and months), comprising 1,578 financial audit reports and 39 specialised audit reports.

The OAG, however, continues to decry low budget allocation having recorded a shortfall of Sh2.25 billion in 2021/22, down from a shortfall of Sh3.37 billion in 2020/21.