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Former Foreign Affairs PS Thuita Mwangi in court Monday. [PHOTO: FEDILUS KABUNYI/STANDARD] |
By FRED MAKANA
NAIROBI, KENYA: Former Foreign Affairs PS Thuita Mwangi was informed about Japan’s Government land offer for the construction of a Kenyan embassy as early as October 2007, a trial court was told Monday.
Denis Awuor who was the Kenyan ambassador to Japan at the time of the planned purchase informed acting Chief Magistrate Doreen Mulekyo of several correspondences between the embassy and the ministry regarding the offer of a prime plot in Tokyo for construction of a chancery and ambassador’s residence.
He was testifying in a case in which Mr Mwangi is accused alongside former Deputy Director of Administration Anthony Mwaniki Muchiri and former Charge D’Affairs at the Kenyan embassy in Tokyo Allan Waweru Mburu. The three are accused of approving the purchase of a property in Tokyo for the Kenya Embassy and ambassador’s residence at Sh1.07 billion when they could have gotten a fair market price if they adhered to proper procurement procedures.
They are also charged with failing to comply with the law and procedures relating to procurement of real estate property by directly purchasing the Tokyo property. However, the three have denied all the charges and are out on Sh2 million bond.
Awuor told the court that on August 31, 2006, he received a circular from the PS to all heads of mission in reference to acquisition of new properties for Kenyan missions abroad. He said the PS proposed the need to cut down costs by purchasing available buildings so long as such an offer got support from Japanese Government through a loan or mortgage.
The witness was forced to stand down after Senior Counsel put State Counsel Daniel Karuri to task to table in court the original letter of offer from the Japanese Government and its equivalent translation in English. The magistrate ordered the prosecution to ensure the document is available when trial resumes this morning.
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