DCI summons CS Rotich over Arror, Kimwarer dams scandal

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich has been summoned for further interrogation by the Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti over the Arror and Kimwarer dams scandal.

Rotich, who failed to appear before detectives on Monday, is expected at the DCI headquarters on Tuesday morning to shed more light on the Ksh.21 billion scandal.

A source within the investigating team says the cabinet secretary is expected to answer 300 questions on how the monies were released to the Italian firm before the project commenced, but more so without designs.

Rotich will also be questioned as to why he went against the advice of the Attorney General and signed off a deal with a company grappling with financial constraints

Sources say lawyers representing the Treasury CS have asked the DCI to avail the interrogation rooms from as early as 6am.

If found culpable, CS Rotich is likely to face graft charges alongside Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) Managing Director David Kimosop, KVDA procurement boss William Maina Kiprotich and the authority’s engineer Paul Serem among other officers.

The officers are likely to face misuse of public resources and abuse of office charges.

According to the investigations, a total of Ksh.20.5 billion was paid to CMC di Ravena for the construction of Kimwarer and Arror multi-purpose dams in Elgeyo Marakwet County.

An expenditure breakdown adduced from the investigations and which Rotich released indicates that an advance payment of Ksh.7.8 billion was paid out. Of this amount, Ksh4.3 billion was released for the construction of Arror dam and Ksh.3.5 billion for Kimwarer dam.

However, an additional commitment fee of Ksh. 900 million was paid out to CMC di Ravena for both dams.

Another Ksh.10 billion was advanced to an Italian insurance firm abbreviated SACE as security for the construction of the dams.

The money is alleged to have been wired to foreign banks.

So far, representatives of 70 out of the 107 companies summoned have presented themselves before detectives at the DCI headquarters and recorded statements.