Ruto defends officials in ‘illegal’ ambulance deal case

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto on Monday took to the witness stand to testify in a case involving senior officials of his government.

The officials, accused of unprocedurally leasing ambulances from the Kenya Red Cross Society, were charged in a Kericho court.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has accused them of breaking the law when they struck the multi-million shilling deal.

Mr Ruto who appeared as a defence witness, justified the officials' actions saying the leasing deal was done in a manner that was legally binding.

“The ambulance deal was duly tendered out by the tender committee as per the law before it was signed. The allegations against the accused are far-fetched and are not true,” he told the court.

Fourteen senior county government officials have been charged together with the 11 members of the tender and evaluation committees.

The governor also dismissed claims by the prosecution that the county had signed the ambulances deal with a company called the Emergency-Plus Medical Services Ltd.

“I am not aware of any other ambulance emergency services that the county could have procured other than the deal with the Kenya Red Cross Society,” he said.

The county government has been leasing the ambulances at a cost of Sh3.6 million every month.

In March, Roads Executive Eddah Biegon told the court that the executive committee had endorsed the deal on October 22, 2013.