Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Noordin Haji, has withdrawn an Sh400 million graft case against former Kenya Power Managing Director, Ben Chumo, and 10 others.
All the 11 accused persons were, on Wednesday, discharged under section 87 (a).
Mr. Chumo, together with Muwa Company Limited, was charged in 2018 for willful failure to comply with procurement.
Defending his innocence of the charges against him, Mr Chumo said he did not participate in the procurement process that resulted in the contract dated August 3, 2012, between Kenya Power and Muwa and wondered why charges should be preferred against him.
The DPP, on March 22, withdrew charges against Muwa Company and its directors, James Njenga Mungai, Grace Wanjira and John Anthony Mungai.
No reasons were given for the withdrawal of the charges against the three who are said to be suppliers of the alleged substandard transformers.
On April 13, 2022, Chumo moved to the High court to challenge a decision by the DPP to introduce new charges against him just as the graft case was in its last stages. Only one of the 34 witnesses was yet to testify.
Chumo argued it was unfair for the DPP to expose him to a trial where 33 out of 34 witnesses had testified over three years and eight months but goes ahead to withdraw the charges against his co-accused.
“I believe the DPP decided to discharge the beneficiaries of an alleged conspiracy from criminal proceedings while sustaining charges against me, an alleged co-conspirator. His actions have violated my rights,” he said.
The decision by DPP to drop the charges against the former Kenya Power MD and others has been criticised by Narok Senator, Ledama Olekina.
He has insinuated that the move by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Noordin Haji, is a ‘cleansing’ exercise.
“Clean them all…it’s their time to eat,” Lama said in a tweet.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com