MP Savula and former PS Itemere in court over advert fraud

Lugari MP Ayub Savula (left) and former Broadcasting and Telecommunication Principal Secretary Sammy Itemere. They are facing advert fraud charges. [Courtesy]

Lugari Member of Parliament Ayub Savula Angatia, former broadcasting and Telecommunications Permanent Secretary Sammy Itemere and ex- Government Advertising Agency (GAA) chief Dennis Chebitwey are being arraigned in court to face graft charges.

They are before the Milimani law court where he and co-accused are being charged with conspiring to steal Sh122 million from the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology (ICT)-money which was meant for paying media houses for services rendered.

The legislator was arrested on Friday, October 27, 2018 on the evening and was held for questioning at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Kiambu County. Chebitwey on the other hand was arrested on Saturday, October 28, 2018.

This comes a day after ICT ex-principal secretary Sammy Itemere presented himself at the Karen Police Station moments after the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Noordin Haji ordered for his arrest.

DCI noted in a tweet: "Lugari Member of Parliament, the Honorable Ayub Savula Angatia, has been arrested this evening by DCI Detectives for conspiring to steal Sh122,335,500 from the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology."

Investigations into the matter was launched by the DCI in August after fuming media executives appealed to the DPP over a several years' piling Sh2.5 billion debts that GAA had not paid despite them offering their services.

It is alleged that the GAA paid over Sh2.5 Billion to 99 ghost companies. GAA handles all advertising from government ministries and departments in both electronic and print media.

Savula's two wives, Hellen Kemboi and Melody Ringera are also expected to face joint charges of conspiracy to defraud the Ministry of ICT.

The duo is said to be the directors of the Cross Continents Ventures Ltd, M/S the Sunday Publishers Ltd, NoBurns Protection Agencies Ltd, Johnnewton Communications, Shieldlock Ltd, Melsay Company Ltd, and Express Media Group.

The mentioned companies are said to have illegally obtained money from the ICT ministry.