Treasury PS Kamau Thugge and CS Henry Rotich at a Milimani law court on Tuesday, July 23, 2019. Image: ENOS TECHE
Henry Rotich and Kamau Thugge accused of inflating loan for construction of two dams by Sh17 billion. DPP also ordered the arrest of 26 high-ranking ministry officers, several officials of Kerio Valley Development Authority.
Treasury CS Henry Rotich and PS Kamau Thugge were among 28 individuals implicated in the dams scandal who appeared at the Milimani law courts on Tuesday. They are accused of conspiracy to defraud government, failing to comply with procurement law and irregular procurement of insurance policy through single sourcing. The counts were read, with a few mistakes in the particulars, such as the name of the dam, which was being rectified.
A total of 21 accused appeared in court. It is alleged they conspired to defraud the government of $244.4 million. The charges against Rotich and Thugge were contained in the first file and a total of 16 counts were read out. They denied the charges. There are four files in total, with the prosecution being led by Taib Ali Taib. Rotich’s lawyers include Kioko Kilukumi, Katwa Kigen, Jinaro Kibet, Mahat Somen and Phillip Nyachoti.
Kilukumi asked the court to release the accused on reasonable bond terms. He said unless there are compelling reasons, the accused should be immediately released on bail. Kilukumi said Rotich has fully cooperated with the police and went to DCI headquarters on seven different occasions to help investigators with the case.
He said PS Susan Koech, who is among those charged, was on her way to the airport when she heard that she was being sought by police and voluntarily surrendered to the DCI. Elgeyo Marakwet Senator and lawyer Kipchumba Murkomen said the accusations before court do not show that the accused personally benefited from looting of public resources.
Taib proposed the accused surrender their passports and travel documents. He said the bail terms should be commensurate with the billions lost. The defence agreed with all the proposals, except the suggestion that bail terms be billions of shillings. Nema CEO Geoffrey Wakhungu was charged in the third file with conspiracy to unlawfully procure services of CMC Di Revena.
He was charged alongside other Nema employees and tender committee members. KVDA managing director, David Kimosop’s name was also in the file, but he was not in court. The Nema officials also denied the charge of willful failure to comply with procurement laws.
Source: The Star Kenya