Deputy President William Ruto's name was dragged into former Sports CS Rashid Echesa's Ksh40 billion scandal involving the supply of military surveillance equipment. Echesa was arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation officers on Thursday, February 13.
A report aired by NTV on Thursday, February 13, stated that Echesa is alleged to have conned a Poland-based American firm Ksh 11.5 million as an initial consultancy fee. Ksh40 billion was to be issued later for the tender and an additional Ksh50 million was to be an add on.
Daily Nation on Friday, February 14, added that Echesa met agents from Eco Advanced Technologies LLC, the American military suppliers in DP Ruto's office and several restaurants in Nairobi to seal the deal.
The firm reportedly met with 'military officials' who were given access to the DP's office, where they signed the tender documents with a Ministry of Defence 'top brass' before they were nabbed by the DCI sleuths.
Eco Advanced Technologies LLC was to install and manage security surveillance system for the Kenya Defence Forces.
The foreign businessmen informed the media that they were taken to the DP's office twice, this was after Echesa reportedly lured them into the deal in the name of being a close ally of DP William Ruto.
The military suppliers being defrauded were driven in a convoy of high-end vehicles, interacted with staff at the DP's office as mind games were being played on them to make the deal appear realistic.
"I went by myself to the Ministry of Defence offices on Lenana Road and I entered," an Egyptian national who is also the firm's representative was quoted, adding that the deal was initiated via email.
Documents aired in the report indicated that the deals were allegedly signed by Defence CS Monicah Juma. The documents had the Ministry of Defence seals and stamps. According to detectives, the documents were seized in Echesa's car after his arrest.
"There's nothing, this is all politics," Echesa informed the media at DCI headquarters on Thursday, February 13.
Echesa had also reportedly met the firm's reps in Poland, where he sampled the equipment and organised a face to face meeting between the dealers and DP Ruto which did not materialise.
Alongside those arrested with Echesa were Clifford Okoth, Kennedy Oyoo Mboya and Daniel Otieno. The four will appear in court on Friday, February 14 as Eco Advanced Technologies LLC officials assist the DCI in conducting the investigation.
DCI boss George Kinoti also confirmed that all officials named in the tender documents will be grilled, including Defence CS Monicah Juma.
VIDEO: NTV
