Top Kenya Pipeline officials charged over Ksh.1.9B scandal

Five officials of the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) including former Managing Director Joe Sang were Monday charged over the Ksh.1.9 billion Kisumu oil jetty scandal.

Appearing before Magistrate Douglas Ogoti, the five; Sang, KPC secretary Gloria Khafafa, head of procurement Vincent Cheruiyot, procurement manager Nicholas Gitobu, and General Manager in charge of infrastructure Billy Aseka were charged with eight counts of graft.

Sang faced two other counts — abuse of office and willful failure to comply with the procedure relating to management of public funds — for unlawfully authorising payment for the Kisumu Oil Jetty.

The five officials were charged that between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017 at KPC in Nairobi they engaged in the construction of an “unplanned project” –the Kisumu Oil Jetty — amounting to over Ksh.1.9 billion.”

They pleaded not guilty and were released on a Ksh.2 million cash bail each. They were also directed to deposit their passports in court and also sign a personal bond of Ksh.2 million each.

The case will be mentioned on January 22, 2019.

According to the Director of Public Prosecutions, there was misappropriation of funds in the course of procurement and construction of the Kisumu Oil Jetty by Kenya Pipeline Company Limited at a cost of over Ksh.1.9 billion.

Kenya Pipeline Company General Manager in charge of Finance Samuel Odoyo will be arraigned in court over the same scandal on Tuesday.