This archive report was first published on 23 October 2019.
Between May 30, 2018, and August 12, 2018, Joy Kamau, alias Patricia Mareka, allegedly conspired with others to offer a fraudulent tender in the name of Deputy President William Ruto for the supply of 2,800 laptops valued at Sh180 million.
According to the prosecution, Kamau presented herself as an employee of Deputy President William Ruto, able to provide tenders for the laptops, and also as a State House employee able to provide a tender for a military surveillance system.
She allegedly used fake names and masqueraded as a project manager or procurement officer at either State House or Harambee House Annex, and was part of a team of people masquerading as intelligence and military officers.
On Tuesday, Kamau stood before a Kiambu magistrate and faced multiple fraud charges involving fake procurement deals linked to State House and the Department of Defence.
She is accused of defrauding Charles Ng'ang'a of Sh40 million and another Sh96 million by claiming that she was in a position to award him a tender to supply a military surveillance system, including 120 HP laptops for Sh96 million.
Her lawyer, Njau Kayai, appealed for bail, saying his client is mentally ill and will not jump bail, but the prosecution objected, saying she had been on the run for a year after jumping bail in another similar case.
