Samburu Governor Moses Kasaine paid his firm Sh87m

Samburu Governor Moses Kasaine Lenolkulal used his fuel company to do business with his county government.

The governor received payments amounting to Sh87.6 million, the anti-corruption court in Nairobi heard on Wednesday.

The governor’s company, called Oryx service station, was supplying petrol and diesel to the county government from 2013 to 2019.

HIGH VALUE TENDERS

The head of the county treasury, Joseph Mayani Lekalkuli, told the court that the governor traded with the county government.

As a result, Mr Lenolkulal benefited from high value tenders and contracts on supply of automobile fuel for the county's motor vehicles.

While testifying before Senior Principal Magistrate Thomas Nzioki, the witness tabled financial documents to prove that the county government made payments to the governor’s firm.  

The documents included payment vouchers, receipts, invoices, local purchase orders and a fuel register for the devolved unit’s executive.

“The award [of the supply tender] was made by the head of supply chain management,” said the county finance officer.

Mr Lekalkuli told State Counsel Wesley Nyamache that the devolved unit was sourcing Oryx service station

services directly.

“There was a flow of funds into the company’s bank accounts from the County Government of Samburu,” the court heard.

ORYX SERVICE STATION

According to the prosecution, the company registry confirmed that Oryx service station was registered on October 7, 2008 with Mr Lenolkulal and Lily Sepeita Lenolkulal as directors.

Mr Lekalkuli was the first State witness to testify against the second-term governor in a trial that started on Wednesday. The prosecution has lined up 43 witnesses.

Bundles of the documentary evidence obtained by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission against the governor and his 11 co-accused persons were also tabled before the court.

Mr Lenolkulal, who has since been barred from accessing his office, is facing four counts on abuse of office and conflict of interest leading to the loss of public funds.

He is accused of conferring a benefit to himself by paying his company the said amount of money.

According to the prosecution, the governor knowingly acquired a direct private interest by being a supplier to the county government which he heads and therefore drew interest.

It is alleged that the offences were committed between March 27, 2013 and March 25, 2019 in Maralal town.

The court heard that they conspired to commit the offence of corruption, which led to unlawful payment of Sh87.6 million to Oryx Service Station. The hearing of the case continues Thursday.