David Okwembah
7 November 2009
Nairobi — Investigations into irregular sale of 3.4 million bags of maize from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) early this year has been completed. According to an annual report by the Kenya Anti-corruption Commission (KACC), the file for case has been forwarded to the Attorney General's office for prosecution.
The 3.4 million bags of maize were sold from the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR) at a time the country was experiencing an acute food shortage and drought. The anti-graft body also investigated the board's irregular procurement of maize, fertilizer and gunny bags all valued at Sh3.4 billion.
The investigation at NCPB is just one of the key cases the anti-graft body has highlighted in its latest annual report for the financial year 2008/2009. KACC is yet to complete investigations in yet another mega-scandal at the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) where the company paid consultants and contractors Sh6 billion to enhance its pumping capacity, commonly known as Line I project.
Also under investigations is the loss of Sh1.3 billion by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) through the collapsed Discount Securities brokers. The latest report is signed by the immediate former director of KACC, Mr Justice Aaron Ringera, who quit office at the end of September after Parliament rejected the extension of his tenure for a further five years.
The expansion of the passenger terminal facilities at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is also under investigation after the cost was varied from Sh1.2 billion to about Sh15.3 billion. The NCPB probe is just one among 122 cases the anti-graft body investigated during the last financial year and has subsequently forwarded the files to the AG.
Another 195 cases are still under investigations by the body while it has referred 13 other cases to other agencies for investigations. KACC is handling 14 corruption-related cases amounting to Sh9.9 billion including the release of more than 126 million litres of petroleum products worth Sh7.6 billion to Triton held by KPC without the authority of the financier.
In the NCPB saga, MPs and senior civil servants were among the people grilled for allegedly influencing the allocation of SGR maize by writing introductory notes for their friends and relatives. But last July, Mr Justice Ringera in a Kenya Gazette notice cleared 24 politicians for their role in the scandal saying the notes they wrote did not accord the bearers any advantage or benefit. The 24 politicians included three ministers.
It will be interesting to see those who will be arraigned in court in relation to the NCPB scandal. At NSSF, ongoing investigations on Discount Securities are yet to be completed with KACC also probing the irregular survey, purchase, sale and transfer of five plots measuring five acres by the pensions fund. The five plots are located next to Laico Grand Regency Hotel, Nairobi.
At KAA, the anti-graft body is yet to finalise investigations into the variation of a Sh1.2 billion contract to expand and re-organise JKIA passenger terminal facilities. The contract now stands at Sh15.3 billion with an additional sum of Sh264 paid to the contract's consultants.
At City Hall, KACC is investigating the fraudulent procurement of 120 acres of land within Mavoko Municipality to be used as a cemetery by the City Council of Nairobi. On completed asset tracing, the anti-corruption body says it has traced liquid cash and properties amounting to Sh5.6 billion over the last financial year.
The report notes that liquid cash estimated at Sh1.4 billion was recovered from a former managing director of the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) and two officials of the Miwani Sugar Company that is under receivership.
The former KPLC MD was paid Sh384 million as a bribe through an offshore account based in Jersey, United Kingdom to award contracts to some companies. The Sh384 million account was frozen by KACC. In the Miwani Sugar Company case, the Kenya Sugar Board irregularly paid out Sh680 million to one ordinary creditor and another who were debenture holders.
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