Ojaamong: My prosecution meant to divert attention from sugar issue

Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong says he is ready to appear in court after Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji approved his prosecution for alleged abuse of office.

According to the DPP, Governor Ojaamong alongside nine county staff irregularly awarded a tender for integrated solid waste management services in the county leading to the loss of at least Ksh.20 million of public funds.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Mr. Haji indicated that the governor and his co-accused flouted procurement procedures, directing that they be arrested and charged.

Addressing the press, after the DPP gave the green light for his prosecution, Ojaamong dismissed the charges as political witch hunt claiming that no funds were lost during the issuance of the said tender.

“There is no money that was allocated to solid management in Busia that got lost. In fact the county reaped more compared to the funding that was put into the project,” said Ojaamong, who was speaking from Budalang’i Constituency.

“We are ready to appear in court together with my officers and clear our names. All what is happening right now is politics, perhaps to divert attention from the sugar issue.”

Governor Ojaamong said he was yet to receive any formal communication from the DPP over the alleged charges.

The DPP said he had approved the charges after receiving an investigation file from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, which began probing the case in 2016.

It is alleged that the governor unilaterally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Madam R Enterprises (MRE), without due regard to procedural framework leading to loss of millions.