Top 5 Corruption Cases that Remain Unresolved in Kenya

A recent report by Transparency International on Corruption Perception Index (CPI) ranked Kenya as one of the most corrupt countries in the world.

The country came in at position 139 out of the total 168 countries that were sampled in the study. The struggle to manage and contain the vice in the country, has constantly been slowed down by hurdles with some of the high profile graft cases remaining unresolved over years. Kenyans.co.ke takes a special focus on five of the mega corruption cases Kenya has ever witnessed: 

1. Anglo-leasing and related cases

The Anglo-leasing scandal came to light in 2004 during Moi's regime and was carried forward to former President Mwai Kibaki's government. The scam involved high ranking officers, businessmen and companies, who carried out shocking transactions worth billions of shillings.  

Former Finance Minister David Mwiraria, Kisii Senator Chris Obure, former PS Joseph Magari, businessman Deepak Kamani are among the individuals accused in a conspiracy to commit economic crimes in the procurement of security equipment worth 40 Million Euros (Sh4.4 Billion), abuse of office and fraudulent acquisition of property.

The Hearing of the case is set to continue between 28th-31st of March 2016 after Mwiraria failed to make a court appearence over illness in February. 

2. Tokyo Embassy Property Scam

In 2010, around Sh1.57 Billion was allegedly misappropriated in the purchase of property to house Kenya's embassy in Tokyo, Japan, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Kibaki government. Former Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Thuita Mwangi and two others were accused of involvement in the scandal. 

The scam arose after parliamentary investigations established that the Kenyan government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had rejected a free embassy house offered to them by the Japanese government. It was reported that the ministry instead, withheld around Sh1.6 Billion which was in turn used to purchase another property in Tokyo at a lower value.

The then Minister of Foreign Affairs Moses Wetang'ula was forced to step aside to allow investigations into the matter. The hearing of the case has often been delayed due to difficulty in procuring Tokyo based witnesses.

3. The National Youth Service Scam

This is one of the recent scandals that have emerged in the Jubilee government. The alleged embezzlement, which took place at the Devolution Ministry between December 2014 - April 2015, involves an estimated Sh791 Million. 

The saga has since led to the resignation of former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Ann Waiguru. More than 21 state officers were named in the scandal in which public funds disappeared in a grand scheme that also involved former Principal Secretary Peter Mangiti.  Other key suspects included business persons Josephine Kabura and Ben Gethi, who were accused of playing major roles in loss of the colossal amount at the National Youth Service.

The case has overtime taken different twists, with the most recent being sparked by an affidavit that was filed by Ms Waiguru. The Waiguru-sworn affidavit dragged into the scam top Jubilee politicians leaving Kenyans wondering how big the scandal was. Sermons have since been issued for March 8th, while fresh hearing is slated for March 22- 24, 2016. 

4. Cemetery land Acquisition scam

This graft case involved irregular procurement of cemetery land in Nairobi, where one Sammy Kirui is accused of abuse of office. About Sh283 Million was allegedly lost in the scam. The case is awaiting a last prosecution witness to appear in court between March 22 and 24.

5. The NHIF conspiracy.

The 2012 corruption saga at the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) involved a grand conspiracy purportedly executed by one Richard Lang'at and five others, to defraud the insurer of Sh96 Million by entering into a contract to provide medical scheme to civil servants.

The scandal involved payments to ghost clinics and unprocedural selection of clinics. In addition, the case also included a conspiracy to defraud the public insurer and Meridian Clinic Sh126 Million.

Fresh hearing of the case commenced on February 17, 2016. 

 

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