Nyakach MP held over Sh68m City Hall graft

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives Thursday arrested Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor in Kisumu over alleged irregular payment of Sh68 million by City Hall.

The loss of funds is said to have taken place when Mr Owuor acted as director of legal affairs at the defunct Nairobi City Council.

The legislator was arrested by the officers attached to the EACC at a hotel in Kondele as he had lunch and taken to the Kisumu regional office where he was detained for interrogations.

EACC’s deputy regional boss Auro Chebole said the MP will appear in court today to answer to the charges.

“I cannot talk more on the matter since the EACC chief executive officer Twalib Mbarak has already issued a statement on the same matter in Nairobi,” Mr Chebole told the press.

“We are waiting for further directive from the head office and all I can say for now is that we are processing him and he will be taken to court tomorrow.”

The anti-graft body in April also arrested former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and George Wainaina, who served as Mr Kidero’s chief of staff, over the payment made to Wachira Mburu, Mwangi and Company Advocates.

The list of those implicated in the City Hall graft includes former Nairobi mayor John Ndirangu and former councillor Paul Mutunga Mutungi.

Others are Manasseh Karanja, a former acting director of internal audit, Philomena Kavinya Nzuki, a principal accountant, Ng’ang’a Mungai, Charity Muringo Ndiritu, Peterson Njiru, Ekaya Alumasi, James Mbugua, Elizabeth Wanjiru Nderitu and Alice Njeri Mundia.

Hannah Muthoni Kariuki, who is alleged to have received Sh11 million, and John Ngari Wainaina and a company identified as The Cups Limited were also targed for prosecution.

The DPP directed that the suspects be charged with, among other offences, conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption, abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property, dealing with suspect money and money laundering.