Top officials linked to Sh561m scandal

Top past and present government officials have been dragged into the saga in which the National Cereals and Produce Board risks losing Sh561 million to a firm said to exist only on paper.

Agriculture permanent secretary Romano Kiome told the Public Investments Committee on Monday that the names of top officers could have been used by Mr Jacob Juma, the managing director of Erad General Suppliers and Contractors, to peddle influence in getting decisions made in his firm’s favour.

Erad is involved in a protracted legal tussle with NCPB over a contract to supply maize on an emergency basis during a drought that was declared a national disaster in 2004. It never supplied the maize.

Dr Kiome read a letter copied to him by one Brian Yongo, who had written to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to have Mr Juma investigated.

Mr Yongo was reported to have claimed that Mr Juma boasted to him of his friendship with Treasury permanent secretary Joseph Kinyua and other influential personalities like Mr Francis Kimemia and Mr David Kimaiyo.

Mr Juma was also reported to have bragged that he was also friends with Judicial Service Commission member Ahmednassir Abdullahi.

Tried to influence

The letter by Mr Yongo was copied to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the AG, Chief Justice, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Efficiency Monitoring Unit and Agriculture and Treasury PSs.

Mr Joshua Nyawara, one of the lawyers representing the NCPB, said Ms Nancy Baraza at one point while she was in private practice, tried to influence him to have his clients pay Erad.

He said that he reported the matter to the CID but stopped pursuing it when the officer handling it said the then AG, Mr Amos Wako, had advised that the matter be resolved between advocates.

Dr Kiome said the frustration of the NCPB and the Agriculture ministry stems from the feeling they had been let down by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the CID.

He said both institutions should have been involved when the claim was made that Mr Juma had bribed Mr Evans Gaturu, the arbitrator who handled the matter, with Sh3 million.

“We felt these were criminals and they needed to be investigated. Our position is; come what may, we will not pay anything for nothing delivered. It doesn’t matter who makes the ruling,” said Dr Kiome.

When the matter was taken to the High Court, Mr Justice Leonard Njagi also ruled in favour of Erad. The judge was later declared unfit to hold office.

Members of the committee led by Eldas MP Adan Keynan appeared convinced that people within NCPB, the Judiciary, the EACC and the CID were keen to bankrupt the cereals board.