As investigation into the Sh1.7 billion construction of Kisumu Oil Jetty are nearing completion ,suspended Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang and four other senior officials of the state corporation have been charged over the loss of funds in the Kisumu oil jetty project.
The corporation contracted South Engineering Company to build the jetty that was meant to facilitate the transportation of oil through Lake Victoria to Uganda and Tanzania.
Mr Sang, Ms Gloria Khafafa, Mr Vincent Korir Cheruiyot, Mr Billy Aseka and Mr Nicholas Gitobu, who spent the weekend in police cells, appeared before Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti at Milimani in Nairobi on Monday morning.
Top officials of the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) including former Managing Director Joe Sang have been charged in court over the Ksh.1.9 billion Kisumu Oil Jetty scandal.
Read more https://t.co/vMFXnOhLIV pic.twitter.com/9ds8c1PF64
— Lee Makwiny (@leemakwiny) December 10, 2018
They all denied graft and abuse of office charges in the Sh1.8 billion Kisumu oil jetty contract scandal.
They were arraigned at the anti-corruption court on Monday and charged with abuse of office, failure to comply with applicable procedures and law and engaging in a project without prior planning.
The five accused were released on Sh2-million cash bail each after their lawyer, Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi, argued that the charges were “generic and not serious”.
It’s time mambo ya bail ikuwe scrapped off especially on high profile corruption cases
— Chuchu (@WuoNyalwala) December 10, 2018
The prosecution did not oppose their release on bail but asked the court to issue strict bail terms.
Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti also ordered them to deposit their passports in court. Mr sang has already infirmed the KPC board in writing that come April 2019 and he will not be seeking to have his term renewed so that he can pursue other interests.
The five are among 21 other officials from KPC and NHIF who were arrested on Friday on suspected on suspected corruption.
Those who faced charges over the NHIF scam are board members Mudzo Nzili and Yussuf Ibrahim, former CEO Simon Kirgotty, acting company secretary Ruth Makallah, senior IT official Gilbert Gathuo Kamau and assistant financial manager Irene Rono.
Others are Pamela Nyaboke, Gibson Kamau Muhuhu, Jacinta Mwangi, Kennedy Wakhu, Fredrick Sagwe, Millicent Mwangi, Darius Mbogo, Danson Muchemi Njunji, Elly Nyaim Ogut and Robert Mureithi, the head of Web Tribe, which trades as Jambo Pay.
They were accused of engaging in a project without prior planning, willful failure to comply with the law relating to procurement, abuse of office, willful failure to comply with the law relating to the management of public funds, deceiving a principal and fraudulent acquisition of public funds.