EACC summons 11 officials over ‘chicken’
What you need to know:
- They have been asked to go with their passports, personal statements and any other relevant documents.
- The targeted group comprises directors, managers and other staff members.
The second tier of individuals from the electoral body has been summoned to appear before the anti-corruption agency as investigations into the “chicken” scandal resume next week.
Investigators at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission have summoned 11 current and former secretariat staff of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) believed to have knowledge regarding awarding of the printing tender of electoral materials to British firm Smith & Ouzman.
The officials who have been summoned as the EACC continues with investigations are directors, managers and other staff members.
The 11 officials, the Sunday Nation understands, have been asked to go with their passports, personal statements and any other documents relevant to the procurement of electoral materials used during the by-elections in Shinyalu, Bomachoge and Matuga constituencies as well as the 2010 referendum on the constitution.
“They have been given a long schedule that will be running in the mornings and afternoons,” our source, who requested not to be named, said.
Some of them are Directors Sellestine Kiuluku (human resources and administration), Immaculate Kassait (voter registration and electoral operations), Praxedes Tororey (legal and public affairs) and Decimah Isalano M’Mayi (research and development).
BRIBERY SCANDAL
EACC has also summoned managers Joseph Ayatta (commission services), Ms Tabitha Mutemi (communications and corporate affairs) and her deputy Andrew Limo. In addition, the anti-corruption agency wants to grill former IEBC procurement manager Bernard Nyachieo, among others.
The summonses come after EACC questioned commission chairman Ahmed Issack Hassan, Energy Secretary Davis Chirchir who was a commissioner with the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) and former Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) boss Paul Wasanga over the alleged bribery scandal to award to the British firm the lucrative tender to print electoral and examination materials.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) had successfully prosecuted two directors of Smith & Ouzman for giving Kenyan officials bribes that amount to Sh50 million.
Nicholas Charles Smith, 43, and his father Christopher John Smith, 71, were found guilty for bribing officials of IIEC, the electoral body that preceded IEBC, and Knec bosses so as to get printing contracts.
The elder Smith was sentenced to an 18-month suspended term for his role in the scandal in which top IIEC and Knec officials pocketed Sh50 million as bribes to award tenders to Smith & Ouzman Ltd while his son was put in for three years by the Southwark Crown Court.
But the Kenyan officials who have so far been questioned over the bribery scandal have categorically denied involvement.
Meanwhile, the man said to have been the UK company’s local agent Trevor Oyombra and former IEBC CEO James Oswago will appear before the commission on Monday and Wednesday respectively.
