Former Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Social Health Authority (SHA), Robert Ingasira, was on Wednesday arrested in connection with a multimillion-shilling fraud scheme targeting the state health body. Ingasira was apprehended in Naivasha following investigations into a fraudulent claim amounting to Ksh17,591,473 allegedly filed by Archprime Medical Clinic in Homa Bay County.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the former CEO was implicated alongside several other suspects who are believed to have conspired to defraud SHA through inflated and falsified medical claims. Authorities have also launched a manhunt for Elijah Wachira, another former SHA Chief Executive Officer, who is being sought in connection with the same offences.
The suspects face multiple charges, including conspiracy to defraud contrary to section 317 of the Penal Code, misappropriation of funds contrary to section 48(2) of the Social Health Insurance Act, and abuse of office contrary to section 101 of the Penal Code.
Among those arrested alongside Ingasira are Rosemary Daraja and Peter Abuna, who were allegedly involved in processing the fraudulent claim linked to Archprime Medical Clinic. Additionally, Justus Odhiambo Ouma and Vera Atieno Otieno were arrested over their alleged roles in a Ksh1,101,760 fraudulent claim submitted by Vebeneza Enterprise Medical Clinic in Nairobi County.
In Rachuonyo East Sub-County Hospital, three individuals — Bill Clinton Ochieng, Cynthia Odhiambo, and Phelix Otieno — were taken into custody for allegedly filing a false claim worth Ksh535,840. Investigators also arrested Noah Odhiambo Were in connection with a similar false claim of Ksh315,840 at Nyatoto Health Centre.
The arrests follow a review and approval of charges by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) after investigative files were submitted by the DCI. The suspects are expected to face trial once formal charges are filed in court.
The SHA, which replaced the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), has in recent months been under scrutiny following reports of widespread corruption and misuse of funds. Authorities have pledged a comprehensive audit of claims processing systems to prevent further abuse of public resources intended for healthcare coverage.
