Office of the DPP Cracks Whip on Rogue Kenya Power Officials Over Lost Files

Investigating agencies have acted on the DPP’s orders and arrested three suspects in connection to the lost KPLC corruption file cases.

John Mucere Ombui, former head of supply chain, Beatrice Meso, former Kenya Power Secretary and Ruth Otile were arraigned before Nairobi Senior Principal Magistrate Kennedy Cheruiyot but they are set to take plea next week.

They court, however, released them on a personal bond of Ksh.1 million and Ksh.300,000 cash bail.

They were further directed to appear before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations on October 24 and October 25 for purposes of accompanying the investigating officers to access Kenya power offices.

The prosecution wanted the court to allow them to hold the suspects for seven more days so as to complete investigations.

However, the court ruled that there was no compelling reasons to warrant the detention of the accused for seven days and they are also not likely to interfere with ongoing investigations.

The Director of Public Prosectutions Noordin Haji yesterday ordered for investigations into circumstances under which documents meant for prosecution of KPLC corruption cases went missing. The office of the DPP confirmed that the said documents were under the custody of KPLC. The lost files are believed to be the original reports from ERC on the procurement of faulty transformers by KPLC.

Top KPLC managers including the immediate former MD Ken Tarus, his predecessor Ben Chumo and 12 others were charged with conspiracy to defraud the parastatal of over Ksh409 million.

They have been accused of procurement of defective transformers and the irregularities in prequalifying 525 companies for labour and transport contracts.

Through the two contracts, for transformers and labour and transport, Kenyans lost Sh470 million besides the inconvenience the defective transformers have caused.

Dr Chumo and three directors of Muwa Trading Company Limited, which supplied the defective transformers,were charged with three offences of conspiracy to defraud contrary to Section 317 of the Penal Code, conspiracy to commit an offence of economic crime contrary to Section 47 A(3) as read with Section 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act 2003 and fraudulent acquisition of public property contrary to Section 45(1)(a) as read with Section 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act 2003.

 

 

 

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