DP Ruto Hangs Aides Out to Dry in Letter to Mutyambai

Deputy President William Ruto and Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai.
Deputy President William Ruto and Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai.

Deputy President William Ruto on Wednesday, February 19, wrote to Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai calling for an investigation into illicit dealings that were conducted at his Harambe Annex office.

In the letter seen by Kenyans.co.ke, Ruto asked the police boss to conduct thorough investigations into the allegations involving an illegal Ksh39 billion arms deal that was allegedly conducted at his office on February 13.

This is after embattled former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa was arrested on February 13, following a raid by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations over a fake military equipment tender, with meetings claimed to have been conducted at Ruto's Harambee House Annex office.

Deputy President William Ruto and Former sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa at a past event.
Deputy President William Ruto and Former sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa at a past event.

He asked Mutyambai to take action on the officers and aides implicated in the scandal.

"Any officer in our establishment who will be found culpable should be arraigned in court the soonest possible," the statement reads in part.

Ruto also asked that the Department of Immigration provide information on the foreign nationals that reportedly conducted business within the premises, and the companies they purport to represent.

"It is also critical that the investigations be extended to the Immigration Department to provide information on the type of visa issued to the alleged foreigners who were working with the alleged criminals in our country," the statement read.

"Urgently take the necessary action and keep this office informed," it concluded.

The statement comes a day after Echesa alleged that he did not need an appointment to visit the DP's office.

Speaking to NTV from his palatial home in Karen, Nairobi, Echesa made it clear that the two were close friends who did not need formal channels to meet.

"The deputy president is my friend. We've been friends for a very long time. I don't even need an appointment to see the DP," he emphasised.

He also denied having had any dealings with American businessman Stanley Kozlowski - the man he is alleged to have swindled.

In one of the charges, the prosecution, which was led by state counsel Jacinta Nyamosi, claimed that Echesa presented himself to Stanley and Mamdouh Mostafa Lofty as a personal assistant of the deputy president in a bid to convince the businessmen to enter into a gun supply agreement.

Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa during an interview at the ministry's headquarters at Kencom Building in Nairobi, November 9, 2018.
Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa during an interview at the ministry's headquarters at Kencom Building in Nairobi, November 9, 2018.
Daily Nation

DP Ruto had earlier distanced himself from the scandal linked to his office, insisting that this was part of a smear campaign orchestrated by his political rivals

CCTV footage that was taken from the DP’s office positively identified two of his aides as having been present on February 13, when Echesa met officials from Echo Advanced Technologies, the American Company tied to the fake deal.

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