Arrest warrant issued against Eldoret South MP

By VINCENT BARTOO

A warrant of arrest has been issued against Eldoret South MP Peris Simam and her husband Enock Kimeli over graft claims.

The warrant also extends to four officials working for the Constituency’s Development Fund (CDF) and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA).

They are former KeRRA Regional Manager Mr Laban Siachile, Wisdom Kimutai Maina, John Simiyu Khaemba and Pamela Maluti.

The warrant was issued after the six failed to honour summons to appear before the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) office in Eldoret to shed light on a Sh 5.2 million road tender scam.

On Thursday, an Anti-Corruption court in Eldoret issued the warrant after the EACC applied for it.

Through the EACC North Rift Manager Jairus Ngaa, the Commission said it had sought the six for a month without success.

The Commission said it had sought the MP through the Clerk of the National Assembly as well as through her Constituency office at Continental Building in vain.

With its efforts bearing no fruit, the Commission said it had no option but to apply for the warrants of arrest and charge the six with evidence it has against them.

Mr Ngaa confirmed to The Standard Thursday that they would now arrest and take the six to court.

“They ignored our summons. We wanted them to come and give their side of the story (over the scam),” he said.

Last month, EACC recommended that the MP and her husband be charged with conspiracy to commit an offence in the Sh 5.2 million irregular road construction tender.

In a report to Parliament, the Commission wanted them charged over a case in which KeRRA irregularly awarded a road repair tender to a company the MP owns.

The Commission said investigations established that procurement laws were flouted in tender for the improvement of the Bayete-Chuiyat-Baregeiywa road in her constituency.

“The evidence obtained also revealed various infractions of the law in the procurement process, project implementation and payment,” the report stated.

It added that Simam and her husband violated the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.

The report also recommended that Siachile, the KeRRA Manager, be charged with willful failure to comply with the law relating to tendering of contracts.

The Anti Corruption court set June 27 as mention date to establish whether the six are under custody.