Government shielding real culprits of NYS scam Raila

Government shielding real culprits of NYS scam  Raila

CORD leader Raila Odinga has claimed that the government is shielding individuals behind the corruption allegations at the National youth Service (NYS).

In a statement sent to media houses, Raila said Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko’s orders for the prosecution of Devolution PS Peter Mangiti and National Youth Service Director General Nelson Githinji are a scheme by the government to protect the ‘real culprits’ involved in the scam.

“The twists and turns (involving the NYS saga) have all been attempts at ensuring that those who bear the real and greatest responsibility for the loss of taxpayers’ money at NYS are not brought to account for their criminal actions,” Raila claimed.

He stated that the government chose to pick Mangiti and Githinji as “fall guys” to be quickly identified and taken down in a bid to “save the actual thieves”.

“I believe Peter Mangiti and Nelson Githinji are not alone in whatever they are accused of doing. They are just but the apostles of the High Priestess of corruption in Kenya, whom, for some mysterious reasons, the Jubilee regime is determined to protect at all costs,” stated Raila.

He reminded President Uhuru Kenyatta to stay true to a resolution he reportedly made at a cabinet meeting that widened the role of cabinet secretaries to sanction procurement, previously a preserve of principal secretaries, and leading approval and attainment of targets and managing integrity and accountability matters.

“These provisions are being ignored in the case of the crimes committed at the Devolution Ministry and Kenyans need to be told why. The government must stop taking Kenyans for fools. We refuse to accept that the NYS corruption saga has now been settled,” said Raila.

The ODM leader stated that it was not possible for government agencies to investigate senior government officers while they are still in office and make public the conclusions reached.

“The charging of Mangiti and Githinji is just a tip of the iceberg. The plot is much thicker than we are being told,” he said.

“The script being played out is exactly the same as the one that was played out in the Anglo-Leasing scandal. It starts with denial, then claims that no money was lost, then with the return of money and finally in the taking down of a few fall guys,” noted Raila.

He urged the government to appoint an independent international audit firm to look into the transactions and accounts of NYS and all the tender procurement and payments since April 2013 and assign responsibility.

“The firm must be instructed to follow the money trail and unearth the real beneficiaries of these payments. The report of the firm should be made public and submitted simultaneously to both the president and Parliament,” he stated.

“If the government doesn’t do this, then it is evident that this is all a cover up to save the High Priestess of Corruption in Kenya.”

Raila statement comes a day after NYS Director General Nelson Githinji stepped aside, hours after DPP Tobiko ordered for his prosecution over the loss of Sh695,400,000 at the NYS.

Tobiko also recommended that PS Mangiti and businessman Benson Muchemi be prosecuted.

Tags:

raila odinga NYS Keriako Tobiko Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Keriako Tobiko Nelson Githinji

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