This archive report was first published on 24 July 2019.
On July 23, 2019, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich and his Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge were at the Milimani court in Nairobi, where they were facing graft-related charges.
Rotich and Thugge were charged with willful neglect of official duty, engaging in a project without prior planning, and abuse of office in relation to two multi-purpose dams projects in Kimwarer and Arror, Elgeyo Marakwet, estimated to be worth Sh63 billion.
They were granted Sh15 million cash bail each with an alternative of a Sh50 million surety bond each by Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti after a day-long court session.
However, the duo staged a sit-in at the Milimani Court, declining to board a police van prepared to ferry them to Muthaiga Police Station where they were to spend a night pending the processing of their bail.
Rotich and Thugge remained within the precincts of the court until the arrival of a court official at about 8.40pm who signed their release order.
Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji had indicted a total of 28 officials with the Treasury officials being accused of borrowing Sh17 billion more than was required for the construction of the two dams.
"If they are willing to accede to these conditions, we will have no problem with what they have requested. The amount of monies that this republic has lost through these accused persons is immense," Taib submitted.
