Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission are believed to be in earch of crucial documents which they will rely on in the prosecution of Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala.
The dawn raids were conducted last Monday in Balala’s Nairobi office and his homes in Nairobi, Vipingo in Kilifi, and Mombasa where crucial documents were recovered.
ECC now believe they have made some progress in compiling evidence.
The CS is being investigated for allegedly awarding a Sh100 million contract, through single sourcing, to a local company to offer unspecified services during expos held in Nairobi two years ago.
The detectives are said to have secretly mounted the operation after obtaining search warrants following intelligence reports that the company is allegedly a conduit for State officers to siphon public funds.
Following the raid, EACC wrote to the minister on Wednesday evening asking him to present himself at its Integrity House offices to record a statement.
According to a letter signed by EACC Director for Investigations Abdi Mohamud, Balala has been summoned to appear before investigators next week.
Balala is said to have personally signed the award letter in spite of not being the accounting officer of the ministry, therefore attracting the attention of the anti-graft body.
The CS is said to have contracted the company during the 2016/2017 financial year to offer various services during the circuit of exhibitions held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi.
One event was held from February 23 to 26, 2017.
The contract was for hosting various expos under a programme to aid in the recovery of the Tourism docket whose performance had been struggling.
According to those involved in the investigations, the firm was not among those pre-qualified during the contract period and neither did the department have a budget for the year.
The EACC wants to establish how the firm was awarded the tender allegedly without following public procurement laws and with the exclusion of the principal secretary, who is the accounting officer.