Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has been arrested over irregular payment of Ksh 68 million to a law firm.
The law firm, which he allegedly paid the money to, has been identified as M/s Wachira Mburu; Mwangi & Company Advocates according to a statement from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution released on Friday.
“Investigations established that one Steven Kariuki from the firm M/s Wachira Mburu, Mwangi and Company advocates was given instructions by Aduma Joshua Owuor – former acting Director Legal Affair then Nairobi City Council and now MP Nyakach Constituency to act on behalf of Nairobi City Council in HCC No.875 of 2010 Kyavee Holdings Limited versus City Council of Nairobi, without following the laid down procedure,” Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said.
DPP's Press Statement on Irregular Payment by Nairobi City County.#anticorruption_odpp pic.twitter.com/mWdPGUQfGJ
— Office of The Director Of Public Prosecutions (@ODPP_KE) April 26, 2019
In a press statement, the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji said that after reviewing the file submitted by EACC, there was enough evidence to charge Dr Kidero and others over the suspected illegal payment.
Among those arrested alongside Kidero are his Former Chief of Staff George Wainaina, former Councillor Paul Mutunga, Acting Deputy Director Internal Audit Nairobi City County Manasseh Karanja, Principal Accountant Nairobi County Philomena Kavinja.
Others are Nairobi City Accountants Ng’ang’a Mung’ai, Charity Ndiritu, Peterson Njiru, Ekaya Alumasi, James Mbugua, Elizabeth Nderitu, Alice Njeri and the Co-Director Cups Limited John Wainaina.
According to the DPP, the suspects will be charged with, conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption, abuse of office, money laundering, unlawful acquisition of public property and dealing with suspect property.
This is not the first time the former governor has been arrested, in September 2018, he was accused of conspiring together with the former City Hall finance boss Maurice Ochieng’ to swindle Ksh 213 million from the county.
