Deputy President William Ruto on Saturday, October 31, defended Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua from allegations of wrongdoing in the Ksh12 billion payments currently being investigated by state agencies.
Ruto, who was speaking during a visit to Mathira in Nyeri County, alleged that the accusations of embezzlement of public funds being investigated by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) were politically instigated.
"I want to tell DCI to leave Rigathi Gachagua alone. I want to tell those in charge of the Criminal Justice System not to use the system for matters of politics and to settle political scores," Ruto stated.
"Rigathi is being harassed due to his political affiliation but he is not at fault. Those behind Gachagua's woes are people who do not want him to take his money to church," he added.
The DP praised Gachagua saying that he had been involved in projects in his constituency including the construction of roads and the supply of water. Additionally, the DP stated that he had launched a training school for the youth in the county.
Further, Ruto also used the opportunity to rally the residents to vote for him in the 2022 presidential elections.
"Uhuru Kenyatta and I have constructed roads, railway lines and helped in providing water and electricity to Kenyans. Hence, when the president's term is finally over, who is better placed to finish the job?" he posed.
His sentiments came after Gachagua was arrested by detectives from the DCI over the Ksh12.5 Billion scandal.
DCI stated that 22 companies were beneficiaries of the alleged multi-billion scandal in tenders from the national and county governments.
The MP's bank accounts were frozen by detectives seeking to establish the source of the huge sum that passed through his accounts.
The frozen accounts contained Ksh202 Million with one account having Ksh35 Million another Ksh165 million and two more with Ksh1.1 million and Ksh700,000.
