Ethics Anti-Corruption Commission wants Ngilu charged over Sh8 billion Karen land scandal

Kenya: The Ethics Anti-Corruption Commission wants Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu be prosecuted over her alleged role in the Sh8 billion Karen land scandal, in which senior government officials were allocated prime plots illegally.

The commission wants Ngilu to be charged with abuse of office while other ministry officials face forgery and making illegal documents.

Ngilu's fate now lies with the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko, who will decide whether to take her to court as recommended by EACC or drop the charges, based on evidence.

The commission gave the DPP a case file on Wednesday recommending the charges following months of investigations. Also likely to be charged is Ganze MP Peter Shehe, who is accused of misusing the constituency funds.

On Ngilu, EACC has been looking into allegations that top government officials, MPs, State/Public officers are among beneficiaries of the subdivided 13.4 acres of public land in Karen valued at Sh8 billion, namely LR No 35861/31R31187, which has been double allocated to Horatious Da Gama Rose of Ms Mchanga Investments and Jos Konzolo of Telesource Limited.

Ngilu has always denied the allegations. If charged, she will be the second CS to take plea after her Transport counterpart, Michael Kamau, who is already facing abuse of office charges over a road contract in Trans Nzoia.

The DPP has the option of letting Ngilu off the hook or ordering for further probe. The matter of Karen land saga is in court, whereby, Da gama Rose has sued the ministry officials.

The commission had been investigating three allegations against Ngilu, including her alleged involvement in the Waitiki farm saga and another parcel of land on State House Crescent.

Last week, she was cleared over the Waitiki Farm issue while the issue on the land on State House Crescent is still with the EACC.

Ngilu is among five CSs who were suspended over corruption claims. They are Kamau, Felix Koskei, Davis Chirchir and Kazungu Kambi.