Sonko says law firm was paid Sh6.2 million despite court order

The Nairobi governor wants the police to investigate the circumstances under which a court order stopping the payment of Sh6.2 million claimed by a supplier was ignored.

Last week, Mike Sonko (pictured) went to court and had the orders obtained by Ondabu and Co Advocates Company to pay Kiango General Suppliers stopped.

The orders had required the county’s bankers to release the money to the law firm following a consent order.

However, Sonko argued that the consent was entered without the county’s approval.

“The consent issued on April 16, 2018, is hereby set aside pending an inter partes hearing of this application,” Chief Magistrate Edna Nyaloti ruled on April 19.

However, Mr Sonko said the money has already been paid. He has demanded answers from the officers involved.

Yesterday, the governor wrote a protest letter to the bank seeking a reversal of the payment and copied it to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

Protest letter

Sonko’s letter to the bank is dated April 23, 2018.

A senior manager at the bank said there was no violation of any court order because Sonko’s decree of April 19 was overtaken by events since the financier had complied with the earlier directive of April 16.

The city governor has suspended officers from the legal and finance departments.

Kiango General Suppliers Limited had gone to court to demand payment from the county for the supply of printing materials in 2010 for the original costs of Sh1,537,296.

The amount was later revised upward to Sh6.2 million in a decree issued by Chief Magistrate RN Gesora on January 31, 2018, taking into consideration costs and interest.

On April 17, the acting finance chief, Ekaya Alumasi, advised the county to forward the matter to the Pending Bills Committee.