Former Tourism PS Rebecca Nabutola and two others To Pay Government Sh 8.9 Million

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 11 –

Former Tourism Principal Secretary (PS) PS Rebecca Nabutola and two others have been ordered by the High Court to pay the government Sh8.9 million fraudulently acquired.

According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Nabutola, Dr Ong’ong’a Achieng and Duncan Muriuki irregularly acquired Sh8,925,440 in 2007 through a plot to organize her trip to Maasai Mara and a breakfast meeting for the then Tourism Minister.

According to EACC, the money was paid by Catering and Tourism Development Levy Trustees (CTDLT) on behalf of Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) to Maniago Safaris (owned by Muriuki) despite event expenses having already been met by Kenya Association of Tourism Operators (KATO).

“Investigations further revealed that the tender award to Maniago Safaris as Agents to organize the Permanent Secretaries’ trip was done exclusively by Rebecca Nabutola, then PS for Tourism, Dr Ong’ong’a Achieng, and Duncan Muriuki without the involvement of KTB, its Tender Committees or the Ministry of Tourism,” EACC says.

EACC says that the three did not follow the required procedure to procure the services hence defrauding KTB. The anti-graft body rushed to the High Court to have them return the money.

“Justice Esther Maina of the High Court’s Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division entered judgement in favour of EACC ordering the Defendants to jointly and severally pay the cash together with costs and interest at Court rates,” said EACC.