This afternoon, Anti-corruption Court put Transport chief administrative secretary (CAS) Chris Obure on defense over the famous Sh1.3 billion Anglo-Leasing graft scandal, which happened when he was Finance Minister in former President Daniel Moi’s government in 2000. The CAS is accused of misappropriating about Sh928 million in procuring VSAT for the Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK).
Magistrate Anne Mwangi established a prima facie case against Dr.Obure in a ruling rendered on Friday in Nairobi.
“After evaluating the evidence on record, I find that the state has established a prima facie case against all the accused persons in the case,” the magistrate ruled.
However, it is during Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure as Public Accounts Committee chair and as Head of State that has seen the government try resolving the multi-billion scandal which shook the country’s core.
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In March 2006 Uhuru Kenyatta, now President but then Public Accounts Committee chairman, presented a report in Parliament naming the individuals allegedly behind the Anglo Leasing scandal.
Other than individuals linked to the companies that received the contracts, the PAC report referred to various local individuals.
In May 2014, just a year after taking office as president, Uhuru authorized the immediate payment of the controversial Anglo Leasing debts, saying further delays were putting the country’s economy at risk.
The president ordered the Treasury to pay Sh1.43 billion (US$16.4 million), which was the outstanding figure following numerous negotiations with the claimants who initially claimed Sh1.64 billion (US$18.8 million).
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Top names including former internal security minister Chris Murungaru and his then Principal Secretary David Mwangi, former Finance Minister David Mwiraria, and David Onyonka who was responsible for debt management have been questioned by detectives on the case.
Former Attorney General Amos Wako and his deputy Dorcas Achapa were also interviewed.
At the Central Bank of Kenya, detectives questioned former Deputy Governor Jacinta Mwatela and John Pichela who is said to have cleared the payments.
