Githongo says info linking Murungaru to Anglo Leasing wasn't paid for

Information linking a Cabinet minister to the Anglo Leasing scandal was not paid for, former Governance and Ethics Permanent Secretary John Githongo said in a Nairobi court on Wednesday.

He told Justice Joseph Sergon government officers working Chris Murungaru, who was the minister for Internal Security, were the ones who said he was corrupt.

During the hearing of a case in which Dr Murungaru has sued him for defamation, Mr Githongo said he would at times personally pay those who volunteered information or gave complaints about government officers, payments that were audited.

“At no given time would we go out of our way to investigate an individual in government for whatever transaction…we did not purchase that information,” Mr Githongo said.

On claims that information on government officers could have been instigated by political enemies in the case of Dr Murungaru, the former PS insisted that it was double-checked to ascertain its veracity.

Saying former President Mwai Kibaki had given him the go-ahead to record government officials suspected to have been involved in corruption. He said in one recording, then-Finance minister Kiraitu Murungi admitted that Dr Murungaru was involved in corruption but he could not have him prosecuted.

The hearing continues on Thursday.