The suspected payments of a staggering Sh592,558,629 to different firms in June, 2023 remains one of the biggest bizarre and most difficult nut for the detectives to crack after it emerged that the beneficiaries are high ranking persons both in the previous Jubilee government and the current regime under President William Ruto.
In June last year, the DCI was able to establish that three firms owned by business man James Muthui Kalelo were paid a whooping Sh32, 146,218, Sh26 million and Sh17.3 million separately.
This means that Muthui got over Sh75 million within a month from City Hall in payments suspected to have benefited a powerful individual in President Ruto’s cabinet.
Milbo Lakes Enterprise was the one that banked the Sh32,146,218 while Mukaja Company got the Sh26million and Yehs logistics limited within the same period.
Data from the registrar of companies (CR12) indicates that MUKAJA GROUP LIMITED and Yehs logistics limited are owned by Mr. Muthui while MILBO LAKES ENTERPRISES is owned by MILLICENT NDINDA NGUMBI his wife who stays in Imara Daima.
Shockingly this companies have not filed returns to KRA and suspected to be proxy companies working for powerful individuals not only at City Hall but across many other counties and state departments.
Detectives had questioned how Muthui got such lucrative deals amounting to millions and how the procurement process leading to such payments was done.
Muthui unsuccessfully contested the Chuluni ward seat in Kitui and has grown to be a powerful broker in state departments and county governments.He is a very close friend to Governor Sakaja.
His firms are among many others that were paid under requisition number NRB/FIN/1/2901/2023 dated on 30/06/2023.
Reports would later emerge that MCAs who got wind of the payments were invited to Naivasha by Governor Sakaja and some were bribed Sh 200k while others getting over Sh1 million to remain mute.
During the same period asper documents in our possession, some companies were paid upto Sh 80million with no prove of the work done and this was facilitated by compromised Controller of Budget officers who are handling the City Hall bit.
Muthui’s payments were under voucher number 60395 for supply of hardcore to Dandora dumpsite for the Month of May 2023. The supply of the material could not be proved to date and Dandora dumpsite remains the same.
The county was then pursuing a multi-billion deal with a Chinese company that was to set up an energy plant at the Dumpsite a matter that ended up in court.
It was not clear why the payments were rushed for work done in May, 2023 to go through one month later at a time suppliers who had been at the corridors of City Hall, chasing payments that have stalled for years were being ignored.
The EACC is also still pursuing dubious payments made between June 2023 and January 2024.
Am officer at EACC revealed that most of officers at City Hall have proclaimed State Protection and seem not shaken by any amount of investigations targeting them.
Both the EACC and the DCI are in possession of crucial documents including; Copies of payment vouchers, Winning bid document and copy of contract between Nairobi County and the bidders, Copies of regrets letters sent to bidders or Notices of intention to award contract,tender Notices as published in the website in Government tender portal and Nairobi county website, Copies of opening minutes signed by the committee members, Evaluation Report that picked the winning bid as the best evaluated bid in various targeted cases.
Muthui, as per our investigations was a silent and powerful businessman during former President Uhuru’s regime and his close ties with Uhuru’s powerful ally Jomo Gecaga gave him lucrative tenderpreneur opportunities.
He became friends with Governor Sakaja and the two worked behind the scenes to lobby support for Uhuru Kenyatta.
He is not a surprise figure in the corridors of City Hall and his two companies, according to our sources could still be chasing other big payments from Governor Sakaja’s administration.
Another company that is on police radder includes BECAL company that was paid Sh16m.
Muthui and other county suppliers are being investigated for tax evasion with Kenya Revenue Authority probing operations of his companies in tax remission.
He owns a multi-million club in Kitui town which has previously been under probe for money laundering and drug related activities.
At the same time,some MCAs now want the DCI Director Mohamed Amin to make public findings on the investigations he instigated on nine other companies that were paid millions without proper procedure.
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The DCI wrote to Sakaja demanding a list of tender documents, issued to nine companies suspected to have been used to siphon millions from City Hall.
The nine companies were Brigit West Limited, Future Link Limited, AR Pharmaceuticals Limited, Larsen Investment Company, Burasha General Suppliers Limited, Tweem Limited, Cloud Mobile Technologies Limited, Istanbul Investment Limited and Ramecon Engineering Limited.
The Documents under investigation included; requisitions by user department, award contracts, delivery and inspection reports and all local purchase orders.
The county broke record books over allegations of paying Sh1.4 billion to legal firms despite an advice from the legal department and County Attorney to only pay Sh60 million owed to law firms whose work can be verified.
The same revelations led to the sacking of County Attorney Lydia Kwamboka who told the Nairobi County Assembly legal committee that key files had been stolen from her office and suspected payments made to unknown firms.
Several county staff are still being investigated for various offenses and they include, Kevin Musamia, Vivian Mavua, Ambrose Musau, Vivian Mavua, Beth Muthoni, Denis Muia, Brian Oyando, live high end lifestyle, with state-of-the-art-houses and nice looking cars.
There is also Stephen Mafura, Peter Gitau from procurement and Caroline Mwangi.
Another scenario is whereby some junior county staff with the likes of Charles Onyango Masella who work at the public service board in IT section is chewing ladies with corrupt earned money, he has bought an Mpesa lady identified as Margret Nguyo a red car and bought her Sh 200k phone.
The lady among others have an Mpesa opposite Jubilee insurance.
Investigative authorities are also investigating some companies that were recently paid without due processes.
The list of companies in our possession are said to have delivered nothing at the county and were paid huge amount of money.
