This archive report was first published on 24 August 2020.
On August 24, 2020, the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) made a surprising U-turn, agreeing to cooperate with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) probe into alleged misappropriation of funds.
The agency's decision comes just days after it declined to collaborate with detectives investigating the matter, citing that the DCI had no jurisdiction to investigate the agency and its officials.
However, in a statement to newsrooms, KTDA said it would cooperate with investigators, reiterating its commitment to operating in an environment that provides accountability and transparency.
“KTDA welcomes the inquiry by the DCI, and indeed by any other constitutionally-mandated institution, to inquire about our operations in the management of over 600,000 tea farmers who are industry stakeholders,” the statement read.
The investigations on the alleged misuse of funds at the agency came about after farmers sought the help of detectives to unravel how millions of shillings have been used to pay for legal fees.
Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti had summoned the agency’s officials to the DCI Headquarters for grilling, and had asked them to submit an audit of its lawsuits and documents relating to its retained lawyers.
