More graft arrests soon, says DCI
From left: Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti (left) Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji and Attorney General Paul Kihara at the Kenya School of Government in Nairobi in June.
What you need to know:
- EACC chief executive Twalib Mbarak said they have about 300 cases under investigation, and that most of them touch on procurement of Covid-19 materials by the counties.
- Some of the counties being investigated are Bungoma and Kilifi.
A former minister, a former Principal Secretary and a diplomat are being investigated in connection with the 2018 maize importation scandal.
The National Hospital Insurance Fund, Kenya Pipeline Company, Law Society of Kenya, National Irrigation Board and a number of counties are among state agencies on the radar of investigators in the renewed war on graft. Also being investigated are two former Cabinet Secretaries.
At the same time, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is preparing to start using the permission granted to it by the Supreme Court in March and repossess unexplained wealth owned by key personalities in national and county governments.
Set back by a slow rate of convictions and the coronavirus, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and EACC have now put corrupt public officials on notice. Their renewed vigour comes hot on the heels of this week’s sudden approval of cases by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) after several months of files getting stuck in the criminal justice chain. At stake, according to DCI head George Kinoti, is close to Sh30 billion in corruption proceeds.
“In the next two months more barons who are looting the country are going to fall,” said Mr Kinoti. “The people we are fighting have been trying to infiltrate us and turn the public against us, but if we allow them we shall have failed Kenyans.”
On his part, EACC chief executive Twalib Mbarak said they have about 300 cases under investigation, and that most of them touch on procurement of Covid-19 materials by the counties.
Some of the counties being investigated are Bungoma and Kilifi. In Bungoma, the EACC is trying to verify whether indeed county officials bought 600 20-litre jerrycans at Sh10,000 each to distribute to residents in a handwashing drive.
Investigations show about Sh6.9 million was withdrawn from the county’s bank account in a single day and handed to county staff, who paid suppliers in cash.
On March 18, for instance, nine cheques of Sh776,223 each were drawn from the county’s account at Kenya Commercial Bank.
Maize importation
Mr Mbarak did not clarify on the nature of investigations on corruption that his agency is carrying out on the Law Society of Kenya. The Sunday Nation, however, understands that a former minister, a former Principal Secretary and a diplomat are being investigated in connection with the 2018 maize importation scandal.
So far, out the Sh48.8 billion spent on the maize, Sh8 billion cannot be accounted for as crucial documents to support the expenditure went missing from the Ministry of Agriculture.
At the DCI, detectives have completed investigations on the Sh29 billion Itare Dam, Kenya Power tokens and the Kenya Ports Authority Inland Container Depot land leasing scandals. Mr Kinoti said they are just waiting for the DPP’s approval before they go for those who were involved.
“The scandals are worth billions of shillings which are contributed by ordinary Kenyans. Those saying we are playing politics should know that we cannot draw charges if we know we won’t sustain them in court,” warned Mr Kinoti.
