Health Principal Secretary Julius Korir faces six months in jail over a Ksh43 Billion debt owed to Equip Agencies Limited which supplied drugs and medical equipment to the ministry.
The company filed a notice of motion at the Milimani Law Courts seeking to have Korir cited for contempt of court and committed to six months civil jail for failing to pay the company as ordered.
Equip Agencies further wants Korir summoned to show cause why contempt of court proceedings should not be instituted against him following his failure to comply with the order, being the accounting officer in the Ministry.
The firm got into an agreement with the government through the Ministry of Health to supply anti-malaria equipment and drugs over 20 years ago.
It was subsequently awarded two tenders in 1993 and 1995.
[caption caption="Health PS Julius Korir"]
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The government, however, called off the deal claiming that the company supplied substandard drugs.
Equip moved to court 4 years later when they sued the government in July 1999.
In December 2011, Judge Muga Apondi ruled in the company's favour, ordering the Ministry to pay Equip Sh1.8 Billion with interest backdated to March 1, 1999.
“After carefully considering all the evidence which has been adduced before me, there is no doubt at all that the plaintiff supplied several goods which have been clearly displayed above to the Ministry of Health,” he stated.
The judge further noted that Equip had met all their obligations in the original contract.
[caption caption="Health PS Julius Korir"]
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