Kenya Embassy in Tokyo was properly bought, court told

By Lucianne Limo

Nairobi, Kenya: A High Court in Nairobi was Monday told that proper procurement process was followed in the purchase of the Sh1.1 billion Kenyan embassy in Tokyo, Japan.

The former Charge d’Affairs at Kenya Embassy in Tokyo, Allan Mburu, said in an affidavit filed in court that there was no conspiracy to defraud the government in the transaction.

He wants the court to compel the anti-graft body, as a fair trial issue, to disclose the person or persons from whom they received allegations of irregularities in the purchase of the embassy property.

He was responding to allegations filed by the Investigating officer with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Kipsang Sambai that the transaction was a sham, done without regard to the law, procedure and value for money.

The investigating officer said the transaction was riddled with irregularities and blackmail.

Sambai responding to affidavit sworn by former Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Thuita Mwangi, who is challenging his prosecution over the alleged Tokyo scam, said the flawed process occurred under the watch of the PS.

Mburu, however, pointed out that previous proposals for purchase of the property were made by various ambassadors that dated back to 1990, which he added, negate the conspiracy theory.

“The EACC investigators from the moment they commenced investigations, in the mind of any reasonable person negate the existence of a conspiracy theory,” he added.