FRAUD INVESTIGATION AS A FRAUD MITIGATOR AMONG PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KENYA

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the correlation between fraud investigation and fraud mitigation in secondary schools in Kenya, using Embu County as the study context. The study utilized a closed questionnaire to gather quantitative data, with a Likert scale of one to five used to assess the respondents' level of agreement with the constructs. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS and presented in a table. The results revealed a mean response of 3.24 out of 5.00, indicating a high level of confidence that most schools kept a fraud risk assessment register. Additionally, proactive audits were conducted in advance by most schools to prevent fraudulent activities, with a mean response of 3.57 out of 5.00. The study further showed that fraud mitigation was explained by 3.665 when fraud investigation was held constant, with a unit increase in fraud investigation resulting in a 0.029-unit decrease in fraud mitigation. Overall, the findings suggest that fraud investigation is crucial in mitigating fraud in secondary schools, and schools should prioritize fraud risk assessments and proactive audits to prevent fraudulent activities.