Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua grilled at DCI

Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua was on Monday grilled at the DCI headquarters in Nairobi over alleged embezzlement of Ksh. 12.5billion public funds.

In a lengthy post on his social media page, the embattled MP said detectives picked him from his private office at around 4pm.

“On reaching there (DCI headquarters) I was told that I was under investigation for dealing with Ksh. 12.4billion in seven years. I have told them that I have never seen a Billion shillings in my lifetime leave alone in seven years,” he said.

The lawmaker refuted claims that he had influenced the awarding of tenders to himself and his associates saying all the businesses he has conducted over the past 20 years have been legitimate.

Mr. Gachagua intimated that he is expected to return to the DCI headquarters on Tuesday but urged the DCI to instead prefer charges against him if there is substantial evidence of the graft claims.

The MP claimed that his current woes are linked to a meeting at Giagatika Trading Center where it is alleged that residents of his constituency kept off because of incitement.

“I cannot be blamed for poor mobilisation in a meeting that I was not involved in planning. Any meeting in Mathira without the involvement of elected leaders will fail. Let them blame Wakahiu and the two MPs not me,” Gachagua added.

The MP’s bank accounts were recently frozen as detectives sought to know the source of the funds.

Rigathi is suspected to have used proxies to fraudulently secure tenders using 22 companies with him as the sole beneficiary.

During investigations, detectives visited five counties, government parastatals and the Mathira Constituency Development Fund where it is suspected that he fraudulently won tenders.

An investigation file seen by Citizen TV shows that two hairdressers and a former mobile money transfer agent were awarded multimillion-shilling tenders.

The tenders were for the National Government and Mathira Constituency CDF.