Eight former Tana River officials in Ksh.9M tender fraud freed on Ksh.300K bail

Eight former officials of the Tana River County government who had been arrested by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have been released by the Hola Law Courts on a bond of Ksh.500,000 each or an alternative of Ksh.300,000 cash bail.

The eight, including former Chief Officer Public Service and Civic Education Fatuma Zahra and former Supply Chain Management Officer Abashora Swaleh, were arrested on Thursday night in an EACC-led operation over the irregular award of Ksh.9 million tender.

Appearing before Senior Principal Magistrate Edward Kiprono, they all denied the five charges levelled against them in the irregular award of a tender to fence the Kenya wildlife compound and staff quarters to Al–Karim General Construction Company in 2018.

“The accused persons are to be released on a cash bail of Ksh.300,000 each or a bond of Ksh.500,000, with a surety of a similar amount. The accused persons should not leave the jurisdiction of the court without the permission of the court,” said the Magistrate.

The court has however issued summons to six other suspects involved in the award of the tender, including five directors of Al-Karim construction company.

“The offences with which they will be charged include willful failure to comply with law relating to public procurement, engaging in a project without prior planning, conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption, engaging in fraudulent practice in procurement and forgery,” said EACC Spokesperson Eric Ngumbi before the ruling.

The tender awarded to Al-Karim General Construction Company Limited in 2018 is reported to have been inflated from the initial cost of Ksh.5.9 million up to Ksh.9 million, in what the EACC believes to be attempts by involved county officials to defraud the Tana River County government.

EACC has warned of a growing trend in counties, where officials collude with companies to defraud the devolved units, amassing unexplained wealth in the process.

“The commission continues to intensify investigations into cases of corruption, conflict of interest and unexplained wealth which are the most prevalent forms of corruption and economic crimes that county officials are committing in addition to the recommendation of persons suspected to be involved in corruption, also pursue civil recovery suits,” Ngumbi said.

The case will be mentioned on January 30, 2025.