Former Deputy Auditor General charged over Ksh.100M irregular tender

Former Deputy Auditor General Stephen Kinuthia was on Tuesday charged over the alleged fraudulent purchase of an audit vault in the office of the auditor general.

According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the vault had been inflated to Ksh.100 million yet only Ksh.36 million was paid to the supplier.

The office of the auditor general is said to have swindled the taxpayer of more than Ksh.64 million through the purchase that flouted procurement rules between July 2012 and August 2014.

Appearing before Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti, Kinuthia and 13 others were charged with conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption, conflict of interest, unlawful acquisition of public property, money laundering and dealing with suspect property.

They denied the charges.

Other accused persons included; Annette Mwangi, Patrick Shem Kamau Kairu, Ephantus Kairu Kahwae, Sylvester Kiptoo Kiplagat, Charles Githinji Gichobi, Charles Karisa Mwaduni, Edward Mulewa Mwachinga, Charles Mbugua Njuguna, Desmond Irungu Kinuthia, Nelson Karanja Kinuthia, Florence Waithira Kinuthia, Jane Wangui Kinuthia and Charmine Kinuthia.

The companies charged in the case are Osi Kenya Limited, Mars Technology Limited, Value Teq Trading Limited, Finsoft TCS Limited, Nanazi Investment Limited, Kamira International Limited, Kenya Milk Farmers Investment Company Limited and Enkei Holdings Limited.