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Thirteen individuals and three companies implicated in the multi-billion shillings Anglo Leasing scandal should be charged forthwith, Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko (above) has directed.
Among those to be charged are former Cabinet Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, top businessmen and a senior officer at the Treasury.
Tobiko said in a statement that there was sufficient evidence to sustain the charges in court after perusing files re-submitted to his office by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) last week.
“I have today directed all the 13 individuals and three corporate entities recommended by EACC to be charged, be taken to court forthwith to face various criminal charges.”
One of the three files received by the DPP last Friday relates to ECOPS which dealt with computerisation of the Kenya Police. The contract price was Euros 59,688,200.
In the second file which relates to supply of equipment and services to the Postal Corporation of Kenya, Tobiko recommended charges against a former Finance Minister, former Permanent Secretary in the Transport and Communication Ministry, former Managing Director of a parastatal and a former director at the Treasury.
The contract referred to as VISAT was awarded at a cost of US dollars 11,787,000.
The last file is on modernisation of police equipment and accessories and was valued at Euros 40,000,000.
The thirteen individuals and companies will be charged with seven offences.
The offences are conspiracy to commit economic crimes, fraudulent acquisition of property and engaging in a project without planning.
They will also faces charges of abuse of office, breach of trust and a charge of wilful failure to comply with procurement laws and regulations and ‘disobedience of statutory duty contrary to section 130 of the Penal Code.’
The Anglo-Leasing scam dates back to December 2003 when the Department of Immigration under the Office of the Vice President and Ministry of Home Affairs contracted a loan for the purpose of procuring equipment to modernise and boost security.
The contract involved issuance of secure passports and security equipment that would be installed at the Kenyan borders.
Anglo Leasing and Finance Company Ltd was awarded the Sh93 million tender and paid up-front.
However, the procurement process was abused and Kenya did not get the equipment or a refund of the money paid to Anglo Leasing.
Since then, the government has been under pressure to charge the individuals involved.
Last Friday Tobiko said he would announce his decision this week after he received the three files from the EACC.
Source: Capital News
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