Shollei to face more graft charges

The troubles facing former Judiciary Chief Registrar Gladys Shollei appear to be far from over, after the anti-corruption watchdog recommended that she be charged, for the second time, over corruption.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has confirmed for prosecution a second case against the former Judiciary boss, who fatheced several accusations over corruption at the time of her sacking.

According to files, EACC Chief Executive Officer Halakhe Waqo has forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommendations that Ms Shollei and seven of her former colleagues at the Judicial Service Commission face charges over alleged irregular payment of Sh46 million for construction of a court, whose work did not take off.

The payment was made to M/s Timsales, a construction company, for the Mavoko law courts.

But the contractor appeared to have left the site, despite having received full payment from Ms Shollei, on behalf of the Judiciary.

The file against the former judiciary boss was one of the three of high profile individuals Mr Waqo forwarded to DPP Keriako Tobiko at the weekend, recommending their prosecution over corruption and abuse of office.

Ms Shollei, whose dramatic exit from the powerful position captured wide attention, could be hauled to court once more, having already been in the dock over another high profile case.

Last month, Ms Shollei and her colleagues, who held various accounting positions in the Judiciary when the cases came to light, were in court facing charges over abuse of office and corruption over alleged irregular procurement of a Sh310 million modern residence for Chief Justice Willy Mutunga.

Ms Shollei denied abuse of office charges alongside her former deputy and members of the Judiciary Tender Committee, who allegedly approved the purchase of the palatial home in Runda, Nairobi, at an inflated price.