Anglo-Leasing deal was above board, says State official

Anglo leasing suspects (left to right) Rasmi Kamani, Deepak Kamani, David Onyonka, Joseph Mbui Magari and Dave Munya Mwangi at an Anti-corruption court at Milimani law courts. 

A senior State official has said the Government got value for money in the Anglo Leasing contracts.

Kenneth Mwangi, a senior director of supply at the Office of the President, said a multi-billion-shilling contract signed between the Government and Infotalent Ltd in 2003 to provide security surveillance systems for the police was above board and met all requirements.

“After analysing all the documents in the transaction, I can conclude that there was value for money. The systems, policies, procedures and procurement practices at the time of the contract were duly followed,” said Mr Mwangi.

Mwangi was the director of public procurement at the Ministry of Finance during the time of the Anglo-Leasing scandal in 2003.

The Sh6 billion contract code-named E-Cops was to computerise police operations and interlink all police stations in the country.

Mwangi said although he was not involved in the procurement process, he was aware that the matter involved national security and would be exempted from the normal procedures.

“Matters involving security equipment were done in secrecy due to the sensitivity and only a few people were notified. The law allowed the Finance minister to approve direct procurement of security equipment and nothing suggests that contract was irregular,” said Mwangi.

Detailed evaluation

He said Treasury did a detailed evaluation of the police proposal for equipment and were satisfied with the procedure before allowing the contract to be signed.

Mwangi was testifying in a case where former permanent secretaries Dave Mwangi and Joseph Magari, former head of debt management David Onyonka, businessmen Deepak Kamani and Rashmi Kamani are charged with conspiracy to defraud the Government.

They allegedly conspired to defraud Sh6.5 billion from the Government through computerisation of police projects.

Another witness, Dr Wilson Sitonik, appeared for the second time to be cross-examined on the statement he gave on Tuesday. He was the director of ICT at the ministry of Finance at the time of the scandal.

Dr Sitonik testified that when he received a request to evaluate the proposal to modernise police operations, he gave his reservations and concerns, which were addressed before the project began.

He added that the then Finance Minister David Mwiraria had the power to reject or approve the project, but that all Government officials including the Attorney General were satisfied that it was necessary.

According to him, the project was timely and should have been given priority based on recommendation by a consultancy firm that had been tasked to assess needs in the police department.

Hearing continues.