Five former Homa Bay County Government officials and a senior officer from the State Department of Public Works, as well as a private company, are set to be charged over alleged procurement irregularities amounting to Sh348 million.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on Friday acknowledged the charge sheet following the conclusion of investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The charges relate to their alleged involvement in irregular procurement processes of a tender for the construction of the Homa Bay County Assembly office block between 2018 and 2019.
“The tender was reportedly awarded to a company linked to employees of the County Government, raising serious concerns of conflict of interest, abuse of office, and violations of procurement laws. The alleged irregularities amount to Sh348,927,840,” ODPP stated.
ODPP has since preferred charges against former Homa Bay County Assembly Clerk Odhiambo Daniel Kaudo, former acting County Assembly Clerk Faith Adhiambo Apuko, former County Executive Committee Member for lands Roseline Anyango Odhiambo, and Mary Pauline Oduo,r who is a principal nurse at Homa Bay Referral Hospital.
Others in the charge sheet are the Senior Superintendent Quantity Surveyor at the State Department of Public Works, Patrick Tunoi, the Director of Hartland Enterprises Limited, James Minna Oyuka and the company that was awarded the tender, Hartland Enterprises Limited.
Four of the suspects, Faith Apuko, Patrick Tonui, James Mumali Oyukah and Mary Pauline Oduor, have since been arrested, with the authority directing the remaining two to surrender at Homa Bay Police Station or any EACC office.
The suspects will face multiple charges, including abuse of office, wilful failure to comply with procurement laws, conflict of interest, unlawful acquisition of public property and fraudulent acquisition of public property, contrary to various sections of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.
Some of them were Friday arrested and processed for arraignment.
The arrested suspects were escorted to Homa Bay Police Station for processing and are awaiting arraignment.
In addition to the criminal proceedings, the EACC a civil recovery suit is pending before the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Court seeking to recover unlawful payments from the contractor and County Assembly officials.
“Meanwhile, the Commission calls upon the remaining suspect, Daniel Odhiambo Kaudo, former Clerk, Homa Bay County Assembly, to present himself at Homa Bay Police Station or at any EACC office,” EACC said.
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