Somali-American businessman Bashir Mohamed wired billions of shillings to Somalia, months before he passed away. His manager revealed.
Leonard Makokha - the Operations Manager at Bashir's company, Infinity Development - stated that the wire transfers were unrelated to illegal activities as alleged by multiple reports. Infinity Development is a design and construction company.
The money, according to Makokha, was used to fund a number of government and private projects in the neighbouring country. The deceased 36-year-old had reportedly won two tenders worth Ksh2.53 billion.
Ksh1.8 billion was channeled towards the construction of a prison in Somalia, under the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). One phase of the project, construction of offices, and renovation of a children's village were already completed.
Bashir was also set to construct the Mogadishu Ministry of Health headquarters and renovate the Presidential palace dubbed Villa Somalia.
The second tender was reportedly a Ksh729 million construction contract awarded to him by the Ministry of Transport to construct cheap (affordable) houses in Nairobi.
"He delivered quality projects on time and without asking for extra pay. I can say that we were close as we spent a lot of time together. He never told me of any threats on his life.
"At the same time, I don’t think the multi-million-shilling tender deals the company won could have directly led to his murder," Makokha defended Bashir and distanced his tenders from his death.
The manager added that evidence of his track record can be seen through the completion of the Ksh600 million Uhuru Business Park in Kisumu constructed under the supervision of President Uhuru Kenyatta. His clients, he added, were stunned by the death of the young tycoon.
Charles Madowo, Bashir's lawyer, noted that there was a slight row between the deceased's company and another construction firm over the Ksh729 million government tender. However, the issue was resolved by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PRA).
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) stated that they were investigating the wire transfers and would soon release a substantial report. Makokha was among individuals who recorded a statement and were also interrogated by the detectives.
Bashir's body was traced to Kerugoya Hospital morgue in Kirinyaga County, a few days after he went missing. An autopsy report revealed that the deceased was tortured before being strangled to death.
