This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
On June 22, 2020, John Waluke, the Member of Parliament for Sirisia, was found guilty in a Ksh297 million National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) fraud case.
Waluke, along with Grace Wakhungu, was detained at Kileleshwa Police Station pending sentencing.
The case against Waluke began in August 2004, when Erad Supplies and General Contractors Ltd was awarded a Ksh778 million tender to supply 40,000 tonnes of maize.
The company, owned by the late businessman Jacob Juma, failed to supply a single grain despite receiving a down payment of Ksh300 million.
As a result, NCPB cancelled the contract, and Erad moved to court, where an arbitrator awarded the company Ksh564 million for breach of contract.
However, NCPB contested the decision at the High Court, and the Public Investments Committee (PIC) of the National Assembly was forced to intervene in 2013.
Waluke, a member of the committee, was forced to step aside momentarily, and during this time, Jacob Juma told PIC that the company had incurred storage charges and lost revenue anticipated from the maize supply.
Ultimately, PIC found that the payments were a choreographed scheme to loot public funds, and recommended recovery of the money paid to the company.
The Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) investigated the case and found Waluke guilty on June 22, 2020.
