Shollei denies role in Sh1bn loss and turns heat on judiciary committees

Embattled Judiciary Chief Registrar Gladys Shollei has denied any role in the loss of Sh1.2 billion in the judiciary.

In response to questions of impropriety levelled against her by the Judicial Service Commission, Mrs Shollei says she has no idea of the loss since even the commission did not explain to her how it occurred.

“Most of the queries are couched in a language suggesting that the actions I have taken are irregular, unauthorised and unjustified. However, the actions I took were in line with the judiciary transformation framework under a budget approved by the JSC and Parliament,” she says.

The JSC had asked Mrs Shollei, who is the accounting officer of the Judiciary, to answer to allegations of impropriety in finance, procurement, human resource and insubordination.

She, however, says she is not answerable to them on matters touching on finance and procurement but would nonetheless reply for the sake of transparency.

On allegations of improperly acquiring the lease for Elgon Place for Court of Appeal, Mrs Shollei says the procurement was above board after it was approved by the directorate of supply chain management.

Although she admits the lease was not registered, she denies allegations of irregularities and inconsistencies in lease documents, saying JSC relied on outdated draft documents to bring charges against her.

“It is not true that the lease was not under the seal of the judiciary. The lease agreement was witnessed by a qualified advocate and although it has not been registered, the process is ongoing as the duly executed documents are with the landlord’s advocates.”

The JSC also accused Mrs Shollei of taking an eight-month salary advance, estimated at Sh3.5 million, which she had not cleared by the time the JSC demanded an explanation on the payments between October 31 and November 21, 2012.

She says the issuances of advances are not irregular since they are provided for in government regulations, and are given to staff who make a request.

“I indeed applied for the salary advance but I have since repaid with a balance of Sh1.6 million. It is normal since some Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Judges did the same. It is important to note am just like any other modest Kenyan and I needed the advance to offset a mortgage scheme,” she says.

Mrs Shollei was accused of paying two junior employees — her personal assistant and secretary— very high salaries, and assigning them official government vehicles and drivers, which they are not entitled to. For instance, her personal assistant Nicholas Okemwa is said to have received Sh11,201,313 and her secretary Ann Nyokabi Mbugua Sh4, 590,806.

ACCOUNTING DUTIES

The JSC also said Mrs Shollei irregularly effected promotions, secondment and placement of staff from other public institutions.

She, however, denies the allegations and also states that she has never delegated accounting duties to any of her junior staff.

On allegations of opening irregular bank accounts, the registrar denies any involvement, saying that she has never opened any, and that the National Treasury approved their decision to open a bank account for every court station.

On unauthorised expenditure of Sh67 million on judicial marches, Mrs Shollei says she does not understand why she was being questioned since the programmes were a brainchild of Chief Justice Willy Mutunga’s office, and organised by a committee comprising Justice Kihara Kariuki, Mr Duncan Okello, Prof Joel Ngugi and Mr Kwamchetsi Makhokha.

The registrar was also on the spot over the manner in which the Judiciary rented office premises and godowns, where she was accused of making irregular payment on account of the Rahimtulla Premises for security deposits equivalent to six months’ rent, service charge and parking fees totalling Sh48,716,386.

She, however, says there is nothing irregular in paying security deposit since it is the standard practice in both public and private sectors.