EACC forwards 14 files to the Director of Public Prosecutions

Nairobi, Kenya - The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has so far forwarded 14 files to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for action with almost a week remaining to the 60-day ultimatum to act on the list of shame.

The commission is investigating 175 cases that were named in the list of shame that was presented to Parliament in late March, 2015.

DPP Keriako Tobiko said he had by Friday received 14 files out of which he has acted on 11.

He said he has not received any file on the five suspended Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries or other senior government officials.

"I have not seen a file on the CSs and PS and other top officials mentioned. Unless they are on the way here," he said.

This is contrary to EACC claims that they had forwarded the files last week in which they had proposed for prosecution of at least three CSs.

“Of all the files that have been forwarded to me, I have acted on them and they are in public. The ones that are waiting my action include that of Machakos and Turkana Counties and one on Kenya Meat Commission on allegations on withdrawal of money from a bank,” he added.

On Friday, the commission sent a file on suspended Kenyan ambassador to Tanzania Chirau Mwakwere with a recommendation that it should be closed for lack of evidence.

Mwakwere was also grilled over what he knows about the Standard Gauge Railways, which is under construction. This is because he is the one who initiated the SGR in 2010. He was grilled last month at EACC.

The commission is under pressure to cover all the 175 cases that were named in the list of shame before a deadline given by the President.

The CSs grilled so far include Kazungu Kambi (Labour), Charity Ngilu (Lands), Felix Koskei (Agriculture), Michael Kamau (Infrastructure) and Energy's Davis Chirchir.

EACC detectives have also grilled four principal secretaries, two senators, 12 governors, and 11 other senior Government officials who include heads of parastatals.

President Kenyatta gave EACC a 60-day window period within which individuals in the report be investigated over corruption claims levelled against them.

EACC is questioning at least 55 MPs belonging to the Public Accounts Committee and Agriculture Committee of the National Assembly over corruption claims.

A multi-agency taskforce comprising persons from DPP, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) as well as EACC is handling the cases.

Before leaving office, former EACC chairman Mumo Matemu said they were to charge officials involved in the National Social Security Fund’s Tassia project, immigration department and KAA’s Greenfield project.

Matemu said they had also finished investigations into four judiciary cases and nine new Anglo Leasing files on National Early Warning and Safety System.