NAIROBI--Kenyan authorities charged 54 people, mainly civil servants, on Monday in an investigation into the theft of nearly $100 million of public funds, a rare move to hold officials to account for graft in a nation where it is widespread.
Among the civil servants and businesspeople charged was the head of the National Youth Service, where the corruption allegedly took place, senior accountants at the government agency, and the chief internal auditor at the national treasury, chief prosecutor Noordin Mohamed Haji told a news conference.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's pledged to stamp out graft when he was first elected in 2013, but critics say he has been slow to pursue top officials. No high profile convictions have occurred since he took office.
Reuters could not immediately contact any of the people named in a televised news conference by Haji, who said 20 of the individuals had been taken into custody. He called on the rest to hand themselves in and said the suspects would be charged in court on Tuesday with crimes including abuse of office.
The government ministry responsible for the National Youth Service and a spokesman for the treasury did not immediatley respond for requests for comment. The effort by Haji, a former deputy director of Kenya's National Intelligence Service, differs from past graft investigations in that he has said he will examine the role of local banks.
