This archive report was first published on 30 July 2019.
On July 29, 2019, Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Ndung'u Waititu and his wife, Susan Wangari Ndung'u, were charged with six counts over a Sh580 million irregular tender at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.
However, a more serious case unfolded on July 29, 2019, as a senior executive of an Italian company accused of receiving payments in the Sh63 billion Kimwarer and Arror dams scandal went on the run.
Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti issued a warrant for the arrest of Paolo Porcelli, ruling that the reasons advanced by his lawyer, Kevin Anami, as to why he did not show up in court were not sufficient.
Mr. Waititu, his wife, and eight county staff were charged over an irregular Sh588 million tender award.
The first-time governor who spent the second night in jail pending his bail application is accused of knowingly acquiring an indirect private interest in the contracts awarded to Testimony Enterprises Ltd by his county government amounting to Sh25.6 million.
He allegedly also paid himself Sh18.4 million through his company Saika Two Estate Developers Ltd.
Mr. Waititu is separately accused together with his wife of dealing with suspect property by paying themselves Sh7.2 million through their other company, Bienvenue Delta Hotel.
Paolo Porcelli, the Italian executive, is accused of fraudulently receiving $33.6 million between December 7, 2014, and September 7, 2018, in the Kimwarer and Arror dams scandal.
The companies, together with Mr. Porcelli, are further accused of engaging in a scheme to defraud the government of $244.4 million.
