Speaker Onyango Oloo, MP Obiri charged over Ksh.4B Lake Basin mall scandal

Kisumu County Assembly Speaker Onyango Oloo, former Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) Managing Director Peter Anguko Abuok and Bobasi Member of Parliament Innocent Obiri Momanyi on Monday pleaded not guilty to Ksh.4.1 billion graft charges.

Appearing before a Nairobi anti-corruption court over the Lake basin mall scandal, Mr. Oloo was freed on a cash bail of Ksh.6 million while Mr. Abuok and Mr. Momanyi were each released on Ksh.10 million cash bail.

The accused persons were charged with offences of engaging in a project without prior planning, willful failure to comply with the law relating to procurement as well as abuse of office among other charges.

Mr. Oloo and Mr. Abuok were, in one of the charges, alleged to have unlawfully changed a title deed belonging to LBDA for Ksh.1.2 billion in respect to the authority’s Lower Kanyakwar Phase 1 project without the approval of National Treasury Cabinet Secretary.

The prosecution did not oppose their release on bail but asked the court to direct that the accused persons deposit their passports and not interfere with witnesses in the case.

The prosecution further revealed that it will call at least 65 witnesses to testify against the accused persons.