EACC detectives storm homes in NYS fraud investigation

The entrance to the former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru residence in Kitisuru, Nairobi where Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission detectives conducted a search on December 1, 2015 over the embezzlement of public funds at the NYS. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The EACC officers searched every part of the house in the fortified estate inhabited by the rich.

  • They even searched her children’s rooms.

  • Detectives also raided the house of suspended NYS Deputy Director-General Adan Gedow Harakhe and conducted a six-hour search.

Anti-corruption detectives on Tuesday raided the home of former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru in search of documents on the fraudulent payments worth millions of shillings at the National Youth Service.

The three investigators descended on her home in Kitisuru, Nairobi, Tuesday morning. They left late in the afternoon.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission officers searched every part of the house in the fortified estate inhabited by the rich. They even searched her children’s rooms.

They were looking for papers relating to her work in the ministry as well as in her previous jobs before she joined the Cabinet in 2013.

The raid came just a week after President Uhuru Kenyatta reshuffled the Cabinet. Three days earlier, Ms Waiguru had resigned from the Cabinet, citing health reasons.

The National Youth Service lost Sh791 million through fraudulent payments to various companies.

Journalists were not allowed into Ms Waiguru’s home. They camped outside the gate for hours.

The former minister’s lawyer, Mr Ahmednasir Abdullahi, who appeared from the home around 2pm, told journalists that the officers were given permission to search all the rooms.

“They searched everywhere. They went from one room to the other, and even to the children’s rooms,” said Mr Abdullahi.

He said he had learnt of the raid through the media yesterday morning, and rushed to the home to see what was going on.

Ms Waiguru resigned following intense pressure from the Opposition and a section of MPs from the ruling Jubilee coalition following the revelation of the scandal.

President Kenyatta has since replaced her with former lawmaker Mwangi Kiunjuri, who is awaiting approval by Parliament before he assumes office.

On Tuesday, Mr Abdullahi said the detectives had done the search professionally and that the former CS had been cooperative, although she was not in the house at the time.

“They took some documents. We gave them what they needed.

PETER MANGITI

Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission early Tuesday morning stormed homes of former Principal Secretary

detectives also raided the house of suspended National Youth Service Deputy Director-General Adan Gedow Harakhe and conducted a six-hour search.

in Langata, Nairobi and took documents and electronic equipment they believe contains information that could help in investigations into the Sh791m stolen from the National Youth Service.

The officers arrived at Mr Mangiti’s Royal Park Estate home in Nairobi a few minutes past 7am.

Another team of detectives riding in yellow taxis that usually ply the Airport route arrived at his other home at Mukoyet West Road where they found Mr Mangiti with his family.

Here, the four detectives and two uniformed police officers entered the house, interrogated Mr Mangiti then searched for documents.

At around 10.30am, the officers left with Mr Mangiti.

Sources told the Nation that they all headed to Integrity Centre.

The former Devolution and Planning Principal Secretary is among more than 25 individuals who have been charged with embezzling public funds at the ministry.

Mr Mangiti and National Youth Service Director-General Nelson Githinji were on November 18 charged with attempting to induce the senior deputy director-general in charge of administration, Mr Adan Harakhe, “not to follow up the matter relating to the conspiracy” to steal money.

ADAN GEDOW HARAKHE

Anti-corruption detectives also raided the house of suspended National Youth Service Deputy Director-General Adan Gedow Harakhe and conducted a six-hour search.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission officials, who are investigating the theft of Sh791 million from the NYS, arrived at the residence in Nasra Estate, Nairobi, behind Mama Lucy Hospital, around 8am.

Mr Harakhe was in charge of administration.

The three detectives were accompanied by two armed officers from the Buruburu Police Station.

Mr Harakhe was, however, not at his home but was summoned by the officials.

He later joined the detectives at his residence, where they remained in the rooms upstairs until a few minutes past noon.

They then briefly questioned him before leaving the residence with documents believed to be related to the issues under investigation.