Mwangi Wa Iria, Keter, Birdi to face graft charges

Murang’a County’s Mwangi Wa Iria will be the first governor to be arraigned over corruption claims after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) consented to recommendations by the anti-graft agency to prosecute them.

Nandi Hills Member of Parliament Alfred Keter and nominated MP Sonia Birdi will also be charged over claims of issuing threats to officials manning the Gilgil weighbridge in January.

They also risk losing their seats after EACC was directed to refer the matter to the National Assembly for disciplinary action and initiate appropriate mechanisms for their removal from office.

Keter and Birdi caused a stir when they stormed the weighbridge station in January.

Keter accused officials at the station of ignoring telephone calls from senior government officials as he demanded the release of a lorry that had been impounded for exceeding the set axle-load limit and lacking valid paper work.

EACC says the incident at the Gilgil weighbridge bordered on criminality and has recommended that they be sanctioned since it violated Chapter Six of the Integrity Act.

DPP Keriako Tobiko also directed that top officials at the Kisumu County Assembly be arrested and prosecuted for irregularly contracting an agent at Sh15.4 million to cater for 70 MCAs and members of county staff who travelled to Singapore, Israel and China.

The County Assembly Speaker Ann Adul, Leader of Minority Eddy Anayo and clerk Nelco Sagwe were arrested by EACC officials over graft claims and would appear in court Tuesday morning.

False declaration

Wa Iria is accused of swearing a false statement in a self-declaration form set out in the first schedule under the Leadership and Integrity Act 2012 and submitted it to the commission on December 11, 2012.

Tobiko said the files are among the ten he received from EACC. He said he had acted on seven while seven, including that of investigations into the purchase of the Kilifi Governor’s residence at Sh168 million and alleged financial impropriety at the National Police Service Commission are awaiting his decision.

A file on investigations into alleged corruption at the Youth Enterprise Fund is also waiting the DPP’s action.

The files are the second batch to be acted on in the list of shame that was tabled in Parliament by the president more than a month ago.

President Kenyatta gave EACC a 60-day window to investigate individuals named in the report.

The first batch includes the case in which senior employees of the Nairobi County government have been charged over corruption related accusations.

Suspended managing trustee of the NSSF Richard Langat will continue to face EACC after DPP directed the commission to conduct further investigations into allegations of procurement irregularity during the awarding of a Sh244.8 million tender for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of appropriate electronic surveillance system - Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and Restricted Access Control Systems to Micro City Computers Limited at the National Social Security Fund.

EACC had recommended that the file be closed for lack of evidence but the DPP rejected the proposal.

A Garissa deputy county commissioner and clerk will also be arrested and charged for misappropriating relief food meant for the need and vulnerable people in the area.

 A bulk of the files on the 175 cases remain in the hands of EACC. A multi-agency taskforce comprising persons from DPP, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) as well as EACC is handling the cases.