Warrant Of Arrest Issued For Kenya’s Finance Minister Over Loss Of Billions Of Funds

Kenya’s  Finance Minister, Henry Rotich is set to be arrested and charged over graft charges related to the construction of Arror and Kimwarer multi-purpose dams, a major corruption saga which has rocked the country.

The Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji ordered the arrest of Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich among other top government officials who were allegedly involved in procurement and financing of the Sh60 bn ghost projects.

The arrest warrants have been issued following a series of investigations by Director of Criminal Investigation and the DPP’s office on the two dams contracted to Italian construction company CMC Di Ravenna.

“After analyzing the evidence gathered by the Director of Criminal Investigations, I am satisfied that economic crimes were committed and I have therefore approved their arrests and prosecutions,” Haji said during a press conference.

The government officials awarded the tender to the Italian firm which was supposed to independently finance the projects, the firm was supposed to complete the projects by setting up a power plant, transmission lines, and other related infrastructure.

However, the Kerio Valley Development Authority and National Treasury went ahead to source loans to fund the project. The two dams were budgeted to cost 46 bn shillings but the National Treasury sought Cabinet’s approvals for a commercial facility increasing the amount to approximately 63 bn shillings.

“We borrowed, the loan had an interest, borrowed more money to pay for the interest, this is massive loss of public finance.

“They broke the law on public finance management under the guise of carrying out legitimate commercial transactions, colossal amounts were unjustifiably and illegally paid out through a well-choreographed scheme by government officers in collusion with private individuals and institutions,” the DPP further said.

He will be charged alongside 27 other senior officials, including Principal Secretary, Kamau Thugge, Italian Paolo Porcelli, the director of CMC di Ravenna, Dr Susan Koech PS East Africa Community, MD Kerio Valley Development Authority David Kipchumba Kimosop, Kennedy Nyakundi (National Treasury), Titus Mureithi and Jackson Njau Kinyanjui.

Featured Image Courtesy: Standardmedia.co.ke