Garissa Governor Nathif Jama free on bail in procurement case

Garissa Governor Nathif Jama with six former procurement committee members when they were arraigned in court on June 28, 2016 on charges of abuse of office and irregular leasing of Kenyan Red Cross ambulances. PHOTO | ABDIMALIK HAJIR | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  ABDIMALIK HAJIR

What you need to know:

  • The governor denied the charges of abuse of office and irregular leasing of ambulances.
  • The other six tender committee members also denied the charges levelled against them.
  • The case will be heard on September 12 and 13 this year.

Garissa Governor Nathif Jama on Tuesday was arraigned in court on charges of abuse of office and irregular leasing of ambulances from the Kenya Red Cross.
The governor appeared alongside six former county procurement committee officials, who are facing similar charges.

The county boss and the former county staff are accused of abuse of office contrary to Article 227 of the Constitution and Section 46 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act of 2003.

“Being a State officer, Governor of Garissa County, used his office to improperly confer a benefit to Kenya Red Cross E-plus limited by negotiating and executing a contract valued Sh62, 400,000 for the provision of ambulance services to the county government of Garissa without following laid down procedures namely section 7(c) of Public Procurement Act number 18 of 2012,” read the charge sheet seen by the Nation.

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Additionally, they are also accused of failing to comply with the law relating to the management of public funds contrary to Article 226 of the Constitution and section 47 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act 2003.

The six former procurement committee members — Mr Abdi Sahal Ali, Mohamed Hassan Mohamud, Sofia Muhamed Ahmed, Mohamed Hassan Mohamed, Jawahir Keynan Hassan and Rahma Dekow — were also charged with failure to comply with procurement law contrary to the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act 2003.

“Being employees of the Garissa County government, members of the county government tender committee, persons whose functions concerned the management of public revenue, jointly, wilfully failed to comply with the law relating to procurement regulations 10(a) of the The Public Procurement and Disposal Act, 2006 by failing to review, verify and ascertain that all procurement process had been undertaken in accordance with the Act before awarding the contract,” stated the charge sheet.

The seven accused denied the charges read before Chief Magistrate Margaret Wachira and were released on a cash bail of Sh500,000 each.

The case will be heard on September 12 and 13 this year.

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