How State roads engineer amassed Sh1.5bn in bribes
Construction workers build a new bridge on Thika highway. EACC is investigating the source of wealth of a senior official at a public roads agency.
What you need to know:
- EACC raised the red flag on Musila’s wealth on suspicion that he was a beneficiary of kickbacks from road contractors through an account at KCB Bank Kilifi branch.
- He denied the claims and rushed to court seeking to block the EACC investigation.
- Anti-Corruption Court judge Mumbi Ngugi has dismissed Musila’s petition, allowing EACC to investigate the source of his wealth.
A senior official at a public roads agency has been found with assets in excess of Sh1.5 billion despite him earning a relative modest monthly salary of Sh390,000, triggering investigations into the source of his wealth.
Benson Muteti Musila, a regional manager of the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (Kerra), is required to explain how he acquired his vast wealth of 35 assets, including land and other real estate property in Nairobi, Makueni and Kilifi counties which are managed by his spouse, Zipporah Mwongeli.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) raised the red flag on Mr Musila’s wealth on suspicion that he was a beneficiary of kickbacks from road contractors through an account at KCB Bank Kilifi branch.
He, however, denied the claims and rushed to court seeking to block the EACC from investigating the wealth he co-owned with his wife, alleging a violation of his rights.
Anti-Corruption Court judge Mumbi Ngugi on Wednesday dismissed Mr Musila’s petition and allowed the EACC to investigate the source of his wealth.
“What the petitioners seek is to stop not only the investigations but, in the event that the EACC finds any evidence requiring the prosecution of the 1st petitioner (Mr Muteti), to pre-empt such prosecution by the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions),” the judge said.
Justice Ngugi said it was in the public interest that the investigative bodies are allowed to carry out their mandates without interference, adding that there must be very clear and cogent reasons for the court to interfere with the exercise of their powers.
The judge added that Mr Musila failed to demonstrate a violation of his rights by the EACC’s investigators.
Following the nod by the court, the EACC is now set to resume investigating Mr Musila who is in-charge of Kerra’s operations in Kilifi and Mombasa.
When the EACC first raided Mr Musila’s home and office in Kilifi in 2018, they reportedly carted away a total of Sh2.06 million in cash.
The amount, he claimed, included Sh183,000 in personal money while the rest was from his employer for repairs of Baricho bridge in Kilifi.
A simultaneous raid at the suspect’s home in Nairobi’s Imara Daima estate reportedly netted Sh685,000 in cash from his wife.
