Senator, MP sought over theft of Sh50m party cash

Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi flanked by a section of youth leaders from Kakamega County addresses the press at Kakamega Golf Hotel on September 1,2018. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Police are investigating an MP and a senator accused of embezzling over Sh50 million from their party.

Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi and Nominated Senator Petronila Were are expected to appear before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to record statements after the Amani National Congress (ANC) made a formal complaint.

The development follows an audit of party funds used during the election period that showed Sh56 million had not been accounted for when Mr Osotsi and Ms Were served as the ANC's secretary general and executive director respectively.

Consequently, detectives wrote to Parliament asking the clerks of the National Assembly and the Senate to ask the two to appear before the DCI.

“This office is investigating allegations of misappropriation of ANC Party funds by party officials between January 2016 and December 2017 where Hon Petronila Were, a nominated senator, has featured. To enable us to conclude investigations on the matter, we kindly but urgently require the said nominated senator to report to DCI headquarters on Monday, 15th October 2018 at 0900 hours for statement recording,” the letter dated October 8 read.

The letter to the Senate clerk, which was received on October 9, is signed by Michael Sang for the DCI. It directs the MP to report to the officer in charge of the economic and commercial crimes unit.

A similar letter has been sent to the National Assembly requiring Osotsi to honour the summons. Were said she had received the summons while Osotsi claimed that refering the dispute to the DCI was a ploy to intimidate him over an ongoing case.