Court allows Mungatana to join Kilifi’s Sh51m theft case

Kilifi County government’s lawyer Bwire Okano in court on January 10, 2017 during the mention of a case involving the theft of Sh51 million. Chief Magistrate D W Nyambu directed that former Garsen MP Danson Mungatana be enjoined in the case after a director of one of the company’s involved linked him to the theft. PHOTO |CHARLES LWANGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Ms Lucy Wanjugu Kibogo, a director of Zohali has implicated Mr Mungatana in the theft.
  • Ms Kibogo also submitted copies of her bank statement, receipts, and telephone conversations with Mr Mungatana.
  • Mr Mungatana is eying the Tana River governor’s seat on a Jubilee Party ticket in the August elections.
  • Mr Mungatana denied the allegations against him when the contents of the affidavit were published in the media.

A court has enjoined former Garsen MP Danson Mungatana in a case involving one of the companies suspected to have stolen millions of shillings from the Kilifi County government’s Central Bank account.

Mr Mungatana is eying the Tana River governor’s seat on a Jubilee Party ticket in the August elections.

Kilifi Chief Magistrate D W Nyambu ruled that Mr Mungatana responds to allegations made by a director of Zohali Supplies Ltd that he benefited from the Sh51 million belonging to the county allegedly stolen through Integrated Financial Management Information System (Ifmis).

Ms Lucy Wanjugu Kibogo, a director of Zohali has implicated Mr Mungatana in the theft, saying she received millions of shillings on his behalf.

The Kilifi County government's lawyer Bwire Okano told the court that he had received a replying affidavit from Ms Kibogo, disclosing a beneficiary of the fraud.

The county government has moved to court in a civil case against Zohali, Ann Muthoni Kibogo, Lucy Wanjugu Kibogo and Jamii Bora Bank after they were linked to theft.

RECEIVED MONEY

In her sworn affidavit, Ms Kibogo says Mr Mungatana approached her in 2016, telling her he was expecting to receive huge amounts of money, and he wanted her to receive it on his behalf since his (Mungatana's) bank accounts were overdrawn.

“On October 4, 2016, I was credited Sh5.3 million in my Jamii Bora Bank account together with Ms Muthoni and Mr Mungatana forwarded me a document copy showing the source of the funds [to be] Kilifi County government,” she states.

Ms Kibogo further stated that she withdrew the money and forwarded it to Mr Mungatana after collecting her commission.

Ms Kibogo also submitted copies of her bank statement, receipts, and telephone conversations with Mr Mungatana which was allegedly extracted by detectives.

SUMMONED BY EACC

She further says that she was later summoned to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in Nairobi on November 22, 2016 where she recorded her statement with officers from Malindi.

The magistrate extended orders freezing bank accounts belonging to Zohali Supplies Ltd, Ms Kibogo and Ms Muthoni as well as (their) assets for 30 days to enable Mr Mungatana comply with the court direction, until the case is mentioned on February 22, 2017.

Mr Mungatana denied the allegations against him when the contents of the affidavit were published in the media last week, claiming they were “political propaganda meant to taint his image."

He also criticised Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi for calling for his arrest and making conclusive statements against him yet investigating agencies are handling the matter.