FORENSIC ACCOUNTING SKILLS AND FRAUD CONTROL IN COUNTY GOVERNMENTS IN KENYA: EVIDENCE FROM COUNTIES IN MT. KENYA REGION

Abstract

In the 21st century fraud is becoming an issue that top management are struggling to control. At least 5% of the firms lose their revenues to fraud annually. Past studies indicate that fraud can occur amidst policies that have been put in place. The current study aimed at investigating how application of forensic accounting skills influence fraud control in County Government. Seven counties in the Mount Kenya region and 351 staff members were the target population as well as the study sample size. The data was analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics mainly percentages and frequency distribution were used for data presentation. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to establish the level of statistical significance of difference between the observed and expected values. Regression analysis was used to estimate the model coefficients while Pearson coefficient of correlation was used to establish the strength of relationship among the variables. Test of hypothesis was also carried out. The study concluded that there was a positive linear relationship between Forensic Accounting skills and fraud control with an influence of a coefficient of (0.267). The study therefore concluded that adoption of forensic accounting skills would contribute massively to fraud control in the public sector.