Prisons cleaner at center of Ksh450M tender supply arraigned in court

The six suspects at Milimani law courts (Photo/Ruth Wamboi)

Former Ministry of Interior and State Department for Correctional Services senior officials have been arraigned in court over the theft of Ksh450M through fraudulent tenders for goods that were never supplied between 2016 and 2018.

Eric Kipkirui Mutai, a prison cleaner, at the centre of the scandal and his bosses arrived Friday morning at Milimani’s Anti-Corruption Court from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Integrity Centre Police Station where they were grilled.

The accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the 68 offences before Senior Principal Magistrate Anti-Corruption Court Celesa Okore and were released on a bond of Ksh7M each or a cash bail of Ksh4M.

They were also ordered to deposit their passports and travel documents in court.

Additionally, the court has issued summonses for the remaining eight suspects who have been directed to appear in court on 22nd July for plea-taking

Mutai owns seven companies that received Ksh257 million of the stolen amount.

The anti-graft body Thursday arrested six out of 13 suspects in connection with theft and is pursuing eight more suspects, including former Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Benjamin Njoga.

Civil suits for recovery of the lost funds are ongoing before the High Court.

Additional reporting by Ruth Wamboi

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