Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa has given an explanation as to why he failed to honour an initial summon issued to him by the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC).
In a statement issued shortly after EACC issued a second summon directing him to present himself at the commission's headquarters in Nairobi on Tuesday, August 27, Barasa gave a detailed explanation while faulting the agency over what he described as operating outside its mandate.
Barasa alleged that EACC, while issuing the first summon cited investigations into failure to honour financial obligations related to a debt that he owed a former gubernatorial aspirant. The MP argued the commission did not have the powers to pursue the matter which he used as a basis to affirm his decision to reject the summons.
“I replied to your officer and indicated not to honour the said summons because the commission cannot be reduced into a debt collection agency,” he asserted.
The Kimilili lawmaker further claimed that in the latest summon issued by EACC, the commission changed its tune and cited the need to facilitate investigations into bribery allegations which he fervently denies.
“I would like to bring to your attention that the deposit of Ksh2,000,000 to my bank account was a soft loan from the said politician who unsuccessfully ran for governor in a county in Kenya on 13th December 2023,” he claimed.
Barasa further posed that the documents were forwarded to the bank to facilitate the transfer.
“Why I haven't paid because of the dispute in the contractual conditions is none of your business.”
Barasa further claimed that the matter had since reported to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Karen and subsequently dismissed over the agency's lack of jurisdiction since it was a civil matter.
The legislator has thus vowed not to honour the summons as he claims the commission is abusing its power and encroaching on other agencies' mandates.
“You cannot invite me to interpret for you the reasons why the cash was transferred when you read the documents that supported the transfer of the funds,” he explained.
“While the wiring amount is more than Ksh1 million, you must provide support documents. I will instead send you a lawyer on the said date,” he added.
