Transport CAS Chris Obure has case to answer in Ksh.1.2B Anglo leasing scandal, court rules

A Nairobi court has ruled that Transport Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Chris Obure, has a case to answer in the multi-billion shillings Anglo leasing scandal.

Obure and his co-accused will now be put on their defence in the case where they are facing graft charges over Ksh.1.2 billion procurement of VSAT satellite for the Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK).

The court ruled that the prosecution has established a prima facie case and directed that the matter be mentioned on October 8 to set defence hearing dates.

Also charged in the case is former Postmaster-General Francis Chahonyo, former Transport PS Sammy Kyungu and former finance Secretary Samuel Bundotich.

According to the prosecutio, Mr. Chahonyo and Mr. Kyungu are alleged to have initiated the procurements in a network of operations executed in 2002. On the other hand, Mr. Obure authorized the payments, while Mr. Bundotich made the payments.

They face various counts for offences committed between March & July 2002 among them abuse of office contrary to section 101 as read with section 36 of the penal code and breach of trust against the public contrary to section 127 as read with section 36 of the penal code.

The scandal involved 18 state security contracts which are alleged to have been awarded without diligence tests on the suppliers.

According to the prosecution, the agreements were bloated and contracts not executed leading the country into losing billions of shillings.