This archive report was first published on 22 July 2019.
Kenya's anti-corruption efforts have taken a significant step forward with the return of Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji and his team from a two-week trip to Italy and Dubai. The team, which included officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations led by George Kinoti, had been investigating the stalled Sh65 billion Arror and Kimwarer dams project in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
According to officials aware of the trip, the teams obtained important leads that will help them launch their next course of action. The team left Kenya on July 9 for Italy, where they were scheduled to meet with an Italian Government-owned insurer, Service Assicurativi Del Comercio Estero (SACE), which had been paid Sh11.1 billion as insurance premium for a loan to build the two dams.
However, SACE has denied any meeting took place, stating that no representative had met with Kenyan detectives and no meeting had been requested or planned in Italy. The company also emphasized its commitment to transparency and compliance with regulatory frameworks.
In Dubai, the officials sought mutual agreements on how to enhance and fast-track the probe. The outcome of the investigations is expected to lead to the recovery of lost money and possible prosecution in the coming days.
