NAIROBI Kenya December 22 -Former Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has been arrested by the anti-graft detectives alongside other ex-officials from the ministry.
Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Thursday arrested Balala, Leah Gwiyo (Former PS, Tourism), Joseph Odero (Managing Partner, West Consult Engineers) and Flora Ngina (Former ICT Manager, Tourism Fund).
The four were arrested over procurement fraud and irregular payment of Sh8.5 billion in the construction of the proposed Coast branch of Kenya Utalii College, which was later renamed Ronald Ngala Utalii College in Vipingo, Kilifi County.
EACC spokesperson Eric Ngumbi said Balala was flown to Mombasa from Nairobi and later driven to a Malindi court.
“Investigations were undertaken by the commission regarding the payment of Sh8.5 billion by the Tourism Fund out of which Sh4 billion was paid to a company for consultancy services for the proposed Ronald Ngala Utalii College in Vipingo, Kilifi county,” Ngumbi said.
According to Ngumbi, 12 more suspects in the probe are yet to be arrested.
They include Allan Wafula (Former Tourism Fund CEO), Joseph Rotich (ex-Tourism Fund CEO), Morris Njue (Baseline Architects Limited Director), Dominic Motanya (Baseline Architects MD), and Rebman Malala (Ujenzi Consultant Director).
Others are James Mwangi (Amitech Consulting Engineers Director), Eden Odhiambo (Former Strategy and Resources director at Tourism Fund), Ruth Sande (Former Standard Development Manager at Tourism Fund) and former Tourism Fund procurement manager Joseph Ndungu.
George Njoroge, the former Senior Levy Inspector at Tourism Fund, former Tourism Fund Procurement manager Norah Mukuna and Former Head of Legal at Tourism Fund Nancy Siboe have also been mentioned.
The suspects are facing ten counts of corruption and economic crimes, including procurement fraud, misappropriation of public funds, unlawful acquisition of public property and abuse of office.
The offences
The CEO of the catering tourism and development levy trustees, members of the tender committee, the sole proprietor of Ujenzi Consultants, the directors of Mulji Devraj, and the brothers face additional charges that include one count of deceiving principal in violation of the law.
“We direct the 12 to immediately report to EACC headquarters or the nearest EACC Regional Office,” EACC said.
According to the EACC, the Sh8.5 billion resulted from an increase in the cost of establishing the branch from Sh1.95 billion to Sh10.4 billion, EACC said.
According to the EACC, the construction of the college in Vipingo was approved for Sh1.948 billion in a cabinet memo signed by Balala on May 22, 2007, and his finance counterpart on August 20, 2007.
EACC’s probe revealed how some private consultants were contracted by the tourism fund to come up with architectural designs and drawings of the college and to supervise the main contractor.
Rea Vipingo Company Limited donated the land on which the college was to be built.
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