Panic has gripped senior offices at the Nairobi City County after information leaked of at least 38 names of senior and junior officers have been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions( DPP) for determination and subsequent prosecution in court.
The files were forwarded last week by the Director of Criminal Investigations.
A reliable source indicated that the cases forwarded touch mainly on violations of the Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, suspected money laundering, conflict of interest in the tendering process among others.
The DCI has since October 2023 grilled atleast 80 county officials where some senior county officers recorded statements in relation to irregular payments, irregular procurement, proceeds of crime in form of assets and suspected revenue diversion.
Some of the senior officers grilled include Chief Officer in charge of Finance, Asha Abdi,Head of Treasury Martha Wambugu,Chief Cashier, Shadrack Nyamai and Peter Gitau who is also in the finance department.
Finance Executive Charles Kerich, Head of Procurement Richard Mogaka and Deputy Director Trade Mohamed Bashit were also regular visitors at the DCI headquarters along Kiambu road.
After finalising the investigations,the DCI is convinced there are serious grounds for the DPP to approve persecution of 38 officers.
Our source revealed that some junior staff withstood intimidation from their seniors and gave reliable information able to convict them in a court of law.
The staff are said to have issued contradicting statements while some passed blame to their seniors.
Both the DCI and EACC have been conducting serious investigations at City Hall since August 2023 when the EACC obtained orders to freeze a city hall employee’s accounts of approximately Sh 643.2 million.
According to the EACC, the Nairobi County Development Control Officer earning about Sh 55,000 monthly, was unable to satisfactorily explain how he was able to raise such riches.
It emerged that the officers suspect fortune was distributed across over 10 bank and M-Pesa accounts, apartments, land, and luxurious vehicles.
Some of the files fowarded include those of atleast 15 officers who have amassed questionable wealth inform of property.
Some have been on the radar of the Asset Recovery Agency established under Section 53 of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act No. 9 of 2009 whose mandate is the identification, tracing, freezing, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds of crime.
Those being pursued for possible proceeds of crime include Asha Abdi,Martha Wambugu,Kevi Musamia who is a clerical officer,Mohamed Bashit,Nairobi City County Assembly Speaker Ken Ngondi,Finance Budget and Economic Planning Committee Chairman Wilfred Odalo and Head of Procurement Richard Mogoko.
In November, EACC summoned 11 officers for grilling at its headquarters. This was in relation to theft of amounts totaling Sh.60 million. The commision has also been following up on suspected dubious payments of Sh100 million paid to proxy companies associated by senior county officials.
The officers who were summoned are Francis Irungu( Supply Chain Management)Rachel Mutambaki( security) Nelly Odanda( Human Resource Department) Alex Kayera(Administration HR) Augustine Wafula( Devolution), Alukwe( Administration,Aggrey Sagwa( Supply Chain)Leonard Biwot (Supply Chain)Joshua Kimeu ( supply chain).
Others include, Kevin Musamia who was employed as a clerical officer after working for long as an attachee under roads and public works.
Kevin, who is known to be an extravagant spender on women’s life luxuries indirectly owns a company by the name Felista Queen Akosa that is managed by his mother.
Ambrose Musau, Vivian Mavua, Beth Muthoni, Denis Muia, Brian Oyando, one who does work plans for the county, Richard Mogoko the head of procurement who has gained massive from corruption dealings, his main clients are suppliers and contractors from the Somali community and a few Kikuyus, he is currently building state-of-the-art-house.
There is also Stephen Mafura, Mary Maina Wangui girlfriend to former acting county secretary Jairus Musumba, Peter Gitau from procurement, Martha Wambugu among others.
The development comes only a day after five former senior officials of Nyandarua County Government were arrested by EACC and were set to be arraigned before the Nakuru Anti-Corruption Court.
They include Rose Esther Muthoni Wamuiya (Former CEC Member, Trade), Vincent Muiruri Wambui, Sophia Wairimu Karanja, Shadrack Kanyungo Ndirangu and Timothy Ngunjiri Kiragu.
The suspects, according to EACC will be charged with offences relating to fraudulent payment of Kes. 13,000,000 to 6 suppliers who did not supply anything to the County Government.
Investigations established that the suspects forged documents to falsely show that the suppliers facilitated a County Investment Conference, which did not take place.
The Commission said it is pursuing three other suspects believed to be hiding to evade arrest; Simon Mwangi Nganga (Former CEC Member, Water ), Daniel Kamua Muguko (Chief Officer, Trade) and Regina Wairimu Wacira (Chief Auditor).
