Immigration boss Jane Waikenda was rushed to hospital after she collapsed moments before interrogation by anti-corruption officers over work permits issued to foreigners irregularly.
Ms Waikenda developed breathing problems as soon as she walked through the door at Integrity Centre on Thursday.
She was then rushed to Nairobi Hospital, where she is admitted.
Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission detectives were acting on information that about 300 work permits had been issued to foreigners illegally and that Sh300 million changed hands.
They then picked up Ms Waikenda from the Immigration Department headquarters at Nyayo House in Nairobi.
A spokesman for the anti-graft agency, Mr Yasin Aila, confirmed the incident saying:
“She was to be interrogated over work permits, especially those issued to foreigners from Asia but she developed medical complications.”
Ms Waikenda, was appointed Director of Immigration after the Jubilee Government took over power early last year.
Other senior Immigration officials were also expected to be questioned after her session.
The department has been in the spotlight in recent months over corruption allegations.
WESTGATE ATTACK
A security audit carried out after the September 21 Westgate mall terrorist attack revealed massive fraud in the issuing of identification documents to foreigners, with people paying as little as Sh40,000 for the papers.
The audit also showed that the deals involved top officials and said these were the loopholes Somali terrorist group Al-Shabaab exploited to send killers to Kenya.
As a result, Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku sacked 15 senior officials at Nyayo House, JKIA, Wilson airport and the Nakuru office.
A separate National Intelligence Service report further revealed much rot in the top echelons of the department and senior officers in charge of various sections were sacked, pending court charges.
The earlier audit revealed fraudulent issuance of visas, birth certificates, work permits and other security documents.
The findings also prompted Mr Lenku to announce rigid counter measures in October last year that included an order to audit all national IDs and passports issued since 2011.
Moreover, all IDs not collected within three months of production would henceforth be destroyed to prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorists and other criminals.
The Cabinet Secretary also announced that waiting cards would be rendered useless once held for more than three months.-nation.co.ke
