Murkomen accuses Waiguru of lying about NYS money

Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said on Tuesday evening that former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru lied when she said his law firm was paid Sh5 million from the National Youth Service loot.

Mr Murkomen said the firm, Sing’oei, Murkomen and Sigei Advocates, did not handle money from any client who worked for the National Youth Service, contrary to Ms Waiguru’s allegations.

He said Out of the Box Solutions Ltd, the firm owned by former radio presenter Angela Angwenyi, did not work for the NYS, where at least Sh1.8 billion was stolen last year, according to information given to the Public Accounts Committee.

“Our firm has never received any payment from any NYS contractor. Our Client Out of the Box Solutions has never worked for, nor was it contracted by NYS. The allegations by Ms Waiguru through her agents that our law firm was paid legal fees amounting to Sh15 million is a figment of her imagination,” said Mr Murkomen.

The senator issued the statement after a copy of transactions in Out of the Box Solutions bank accounts was leaked.

It showed that the law firm received Sh15 million from the firm; Sh8 million on May 19 and Sh7 million on May 20 via swift transfer.

RECEIVED FUNDS

Mr Murkomen said his firm received funds in its accounts on behalf of its client, Out of the Box Solutions Ltd. “This payment was not legal fees as alleged,” said Mr Murkomen.

When she met the Public Accounts Committee, Ms Angwenyi said her firm had been contracted by the State Department of Planning to carry out publicity work for the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities Programme.

She said the company had responded to an invitation to tender advertised in the newspapers and gone ahead to clinch the Sh302-million contract with the Planning Department. Ms Angwenyi said the company had held publicity events in seven counties, run advertisements and activated a USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) code before the looting issue erupted and its work was stopped.

The company’s contract with the ministry came under scrutiny in the report of the Auditor-General after it emerged during the special audit that the payment was made from the NYS rather than from the ministry’s account.

Mr Murkomen said on Tuesday that these facts had been presented to the relevant authorities — the anti-corruption commission and the directorate of criminal investigations have been investigating the matter, as well as the PAC.

'ANY FORUM'

“These are facts we are ready and willing to defend in any forum on behalf of our client and our good law firm,” said Mr Murkomen.

PAC turned its spotlight on Mr Murkomen and Mr Farouk Kibet, an aide of Deputy President William Ruto, after Ms Waiguru fingered them in her submissions.

This also gave the hearings a political dimension, with members of the committee also reported to have been coming under political pressure to go slow on the matter.

On Tuesday evening, Mr Murkomen accused Ms Waiguru of clutching at straws and dragging the innocent into the theft at the NYS.

“It is up to Kenyans to decide whether they will accept to be taken round in circles or will remain focused on holding this principal suspect accountable for what was stolen,” he said.

New information suggesting much more than what has been in the public domain was lost from NYS has also resulted in the expansion of investigations.