Amos Kimunya to face charges in court

By CYRUS OMBATI

Nairobi, Kenya: Former Cabinet Minister Amos Kimunya is expected in court this morning to face fraud-related charges over alleged irregular allocation of public land in Nyandarua County.

He was arrested and freed on a police bond on Friday ahead of his plea in court today, officials said.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Spokesman Yassin Amaro said detectives handling the case had prepared Kimunya for prosecution as directed by the Director of Public Prosecutions. His arrest came hours after DPP Keriako Tobiko had authorised charges against him over alleged abuse of office and fraudulent disposal and acquisition of public property.

The directive followed an investigation and recommendation by the anti-graft agency.

The detectives picked him up from Panafric Hotel and took him to Integrity Centre to record a statement in preparation for his prosecution.

The former Kipipiri MP was traced to the hotel that is few metres from EACC offices. At the commission, he had his fingerprints taken and asked to come to court today.

Kimunya was at the anti-corruption commission’s offices from 5pm to 8 pm. He looked humbled when he was driven out of Integrity Centre with journalists taking his pictures.

DOCKETS SERVED

Kimunya served in the Kibaki Government as minister for Finance, Lands and Transport.

The charges are in connection with a 25-acre piece of public land in Njambini, Nyandarua County, which was part of 75 acres belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture reserved for a potato seed multiplication project.

Kimunya is alleged to have caused the land to be allocated to M/s Midlands Limited when he was the minister for Lands without consent from the Agriculture Ministry.

There are claims that the former Kipipiri MP is a director and a shareholder in the said company. He will be charged alongside  former Director of Land Adjudication Lilian Njenga and chairman of the Board of M/s Midlands Limited Junghae Wainaina.

“The DPP is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in public interest to prosecute the said persons,” Tobiko said on Friday.