DPP Approves graft charges against Nakuru County officials

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has approved corruption-related charges against nine individuals and three companies. [File]

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has approved corruption-related charges against nine individuals and three companies linked to procurement undertaken by the County Government of Nakuru, following investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

In a press statement, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said it received an inquiry file from the EACC concerning allegations of corruption, conflict of interest, procurement irregularities, money laundering and acquisition of proceeds of crime involving county officials and private companies.

According to the statement, those facing prosecution are county employees Lorna Karamuta Mubichi, Daniel Wainaina, Kennedy Mungai, Timothy Kiogora Muriithi, Josphat Kimemia, Peter Gitau Thabanja and Solomon Sirma, as well as Kenneth Muriithi Ndubi and Brian Mwenda Ndubi.

The companies implicated in the case are Denken Building and Construction Limited, Murinchamba Investment Limited and Windcom Solutions Limited.

The DPP said an independent and thorough review of the inquiry file established that there was sufficient evidence to charge the suspects with several offences.

"The DPP established that there is sufficient evidence to charge the suspects for offences including conflict of interest, money laundering, acquisition of proceeds of crime, willful failure to comply with procurement law, and engaging in corrupt and fraudulent practices in procurement proceedings," the statement said.

DPP also directed that all the accused persons and the implicated companies be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction.

The approval of the charges marks the latest anti-corruption action targeting procurement processes in county governments, an area that has repeatedly attracted scrutiny from oversight agencies due to allegations of inflated contracts, conflicts of interest and diversion of public resources.

Under Kenya's Constitution, the DPP has the independent mandate to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person before any court, except a court martial, where sufficient evidence exists.

The office works closely with investigative agencies such as the EACC, which investigates economic crimes and corruption before forwarding completed files for prosecutorial review.

Public procurement remains one of the sectors most vulnerable to  corruption because it involves large amounts of public funds used to purchase goods, services and undertake development projects.

The government has in recent years intensified efforts to enforce procurement laws and strengthen accountability in both national and county governments.

The EACC has consistently maintained that abuse of procurement systems undermines service delivery and denies citizens the benefits of public investment. Consequently, investigations into procurement-related offences have become a major focus of the commission's anti-graft campaign.