Seven Tana River County officials will spend the weekend in police custody awaiting charges of over alleged corruption.
The seven who include the county’s head of procurement Abashora Swaleh Salad, are accused of fraudulently purchasing 100 collapsible tanks valued at Ksh30 million.
It is alleged that they awarded a contract for the supply of the tanks to a company, Regional Drilling Trading Limited despite the firm not meeting the evaluation criteria.
The officials have since been denied bail and remanded until Monday when their application will be heard afresh.
[caption caption="A Kenyan police station"]
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The prosecution had also objected to their release saying they could interfere with witnesses.
The arrest of the seven comes barely a day after Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko suspended two senior officers over what he termed as laxity at work.
Health Executive Hitan Majevdia and County Health Director Thomas Ogaro were given 14 days to explain why health facilities in Nairobi County lack medicine besides having poor services.
The City Hall boss also suspended three officers – Chief of staff Brian Mugo, acting Chief Finance Officer Ekaya Alumasi and acting head of County Treasury Stephen Mutua – accusing them of misuse of public funds.
“I have this morning suspended several Nairobi County officials among them, Chief of Staff Brian Mugo, acting Chief Officer of Finance Ekaya Alumasi and acting Head of County Treasury, Stephen Mutua over misuse of public funds, pending investigations,” read a statement from the governor’s office.
[caption caption="Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko "]
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“There was an intelligence report showing they had misused county resources. Internal investigations have implicated them,” the governor's communications director Elkana Jacob stated.
Governor Sonko, who has since forwarded the names of the three to the Director of Criminal Investigations, has stated that those found culpable will face the full force of the law.
