This archive report was first published on 27 July 2019.
On July 27, 2019, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) directed Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and six others to present themselves to the commission offices at Integrity House in Nairobi immediately.
The move comes after the EACC investigated the accused persons on allegations of irregular procurement of a tender for the upgrading of various gravel roads to Bituminous surface in Kiambu County, awarded to M/s Testimony Enterprises Ltd worth Ksh588,198,328.20 million during the financial year 2017/2018.
The investigating body alleged that the directors of M/s Testimony Enterprise Ltd who were awarded the tenders were close associates of Governor Waititu and have so far been irregularly paid Ksh147,274,005.39 in relation to the tender.
Additionally, the firm was awarded other contracts for provision of various goods that amounted to over Ksh74 million and have already been paid too.
According to the EACC, the contractor has already been paid a total of Kshs.221,490,499.80 by the county, and the firm later remitted Kshs. 25,624,500 to entities associated with Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Ndung’u Waititu.
On July 17, 2019, the EACC submitted a report to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on the result of investigations, recommending charging of 12 persons.
Upon review of the report and the recommendations therein, the DPP gave consent to immediately charge the suspects with various offences, including Conflict of interest, Dealing with suspect property, abuse of office, wilful failure to comply with the law relating to procurement, engaging in no fraudulent practice in procurement, fraudulent acquisition of public property and money laundering.
On Friday, the Director of Public Prosecutions noted that he had sufficient evidence to sustain charges.
“Having independently reviewed the evidence in the inquiry file and the report, I am satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to sustain charges against the suspects,” said DPP Nordin Hajji.
