AfDb Blacklists Kenya’s Express Automation Limited over Fraud

IT firm, Express Automation Limited has been blacklisted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) for having undertaken several multi-million shilling projects for leading multinationals and local commercial banks over fraud.

This comes after Kenyan firm Rockey Africa Limited and its affiliates including Aerospace Aviation, Eva-Top Agencies, Sony Commercial Agencies, Beta Trading Company, and Madujey Global Services were also banned by AfDB over the same.

According to AfDB, thorough investigations conducted by it’s Office of Integrity and Anti-corruption, revealed that Express Automation Limited engaged in fraudulent practices during a tender for the technical security upgrade of the bank’s Eastern Africa Regional Centre.

“The African Development Bank Group, on October 7, 2021, announces the 36-month debarment of Express Automation Limited with effect from 18 August 2021. Express Automation Limited is a limited liability company registered under the laws of the Republic of Kenya,” AfDB noted.

The lender also stated that during the debarment period, Express Automation Limited and its affiliates will be ineligible to participate in AfDB-financed projects.

“The debarment qualifies for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions, including the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the World Bank Group,” AfDB said.

The bank reiterated that upon the expiry of the debarment period, Express Automation Limited will only be eligible to resume participation in African Development Bank Group-financed projects after it implements an integrity compliance programme consistent with the bank’s guidelines.

The technical security upgrade by Express Automation Limited,was aimed at upgrading the existing security system in AfDB’s Eastern Africa Regional Centre in Nairobi.