Lumumba and Mbarire in bribe drama
Tom Maruko | Nation
KACC director Patrick Lumumba displays short text messages he alleges Tourism Assistant minister Cecily Mbarire sent him.
What you need to know:
- KACC boss claims MP and husband have been enticing him to drop tender probe
Anti-graft chief Patrick Lumumba on Monday accused an assistant minister of attempting to bribe him with Sh100,000.
He claimed Ms Cecily Mbarire hatched the plan with her husband who is being investigated over illegal tenders at the Water ministry.
But the minister dismissed the claims.
“The allegations made this morning by the Director of the Kenya Anti Corruption Authority are false, untrue, malicious and can only be interpreted to malign my name and character in the eyes of the public.
“I am consulting my lawyers and I will be issuing a comprehensive statement tomorrow (Tuesday),” she said.
Prof Lumumba said the plot involved the couple’s lawyers, who were to craft an affidavit before the money was delivered and later use it as evidence that he demanded a bribe.
“Because they did not know we were conducting an undercover investigation they thought they were nailing the commission and an affidavit was being sworn with a view to indicating the commission had been compromised,” he said.
The money was to be delivered to his office on Monday. KACC officials mounted secret cameras to capture the transaction.
“It has not succeeded because the individuals were tipped off,” said Prof Lumumba. He referred the matter to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
“Mr Ndegwa Muhoro (CID director) has been notified and has sent two officers to follow that matter. This demonstrates those engaged in corruption will stop at nothing in trying to compromise investigations,” Prof Lumumba said at his office.
The commission has completed investigations into tender scandals at the ministry, and forwarded the files to Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko.
The minister’s husband is among those recommended for prosecution. Water minister Charity Ngilu was also questioned over the scandal. (Read: Graft: House team clears Ngilu)
Prof Lumumba said the plot was hatched in June when the minister’s husband invited him to a prize giving day at a secondary school.
He said the minister has also made several calls and send short text messages to his cell phone. This was part of the evidence handed over to the CID. The KACC boss said he also invited the suspect to a harambee for Lucy Onolo Polytechnic.
He said the minister’s husband drew a personal a cheque of Sh100,000 which he declined to take.
