West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo was roped into a fraud case involving his Turkana counterpart Josphat Nanok and Ikolomani MP Ben Shinali, as anti-graft detectives strive to uncover the puzzle behind how the three allegedly benefited from a Ksh45 million illegal payout in connection with oil mining in Turkana County.
A report by the Daily Nation on Friday, February 28, detailed that Tai Entreprises reportedly sent the money to Nanok, who shared it with the other two suspects and a low-key businessman identified as Isaac Makimei Gitau.
Tullow Oil, a British company was also embroiled into the fraud case, with the company having transacted business with Tai Enterprises in the past.
Detectives seek to establish whether Tullow's proceeds were also shared among the three suspects.
A source at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) informed the outlet that Nanok wired to the three parties more than double the Ksh45 million he reportedly received.
Detectives, scrutinising Nanok's bank accounts seek to find out whether he issued the extra money out of his own pocket.
Gitau reportedly allegedly recieved Ksh40 million, Shinakli Ksh27.3 million and Lonyangapou Ksh11.25 million.
Tai, based in Eldoret has been a major player in both the public and private sector. It has been involved in a number of Kenya's biggest energy projects such as the Konza Technopolis, Lake Turkana Wind Power Project, Kainuk-Turkwell Power Station and the Turkana Oil mining project.
Further details stated that detectives seek to find out why Tai sent the money to Nanok after receiving it from the County Government of Turkana.
Records at the companies registry show that the firm belongs to John Changwo and Penina Jepkenei.
