Now Jersey AG comes for Gichuru, Okemo

The Attorney-General of Jersey Island is expected in the country this week to press Kenyan authorities to extradite former Kenya Power and Lighting Company chief Samuel Gichuru and former Finance minister Chris Okemo to face corruption charges.

Attorney-General Timothy Le Cocq will be accompanied by the Island’s Solicitor General Howard Sharp and a number of other officials.

The Sunday Nation has learnt that the team has scheduled appointments with officials handling the extradition request in the Director of Public Prosecution’s office and the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission.

Jersey authorities claim the pair received up to Sh900 million in bribes from companies interested in contracts in the energy industry.

They say the money was paid into accounts held by a firm known as Windward Trading Ltd. British detectives say Mr Gichuru owns the firm while Mr Okemo, they say, worked with Mr Gichuru on the fraud while he served in the ministries of Energy and Finance.

Civil society groups have welcomed the extradition bid saying it is a step in the right direction in the fight to curb high-level corruption.
But lawyers for Mr Gichuru and Mr Okemo say the corruption allegations should be tested in Kenyan courts.

They have argued that the extradition bid infringes on Kenya’s sovereignty.

Arrest warrant

Because the matter is in court, it is unclear what effect any agreements the visiting officials and the Kenyan officials will have.

The warrant issued against the pair says they received bribes of hundreds of millions of shillings to influence the award of tenders.
The Jersey authorities have made a request for the provisional arrest of the pair pending extradition.
Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko approved the extradition request after Jersey authorities supplied supporting documents to back their request.

Mr Gichuru and Mr Okemo could be jailed for up to 14 years if convicted.