Charles Kiprotich Tanui, the Former Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Managing Director has been released on a Ksh.700,000 cash bail after denying fraud charges – By Gerald Gekara.
He was arraigned alongside two senior managers, Elias Maina Karumi and Josphat Kipkoech Sirma on abuse of office and fraud charges.
Tanui was charged for authorizing illegal payments of Euros 261,070 (Ksh.31,987,584) to a company, Redline Limited for three auto transformers on February 18, 2014.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) who pressed the charges against the managers, said the payments were authorised using false documents.
Further more EACC claims the autotransformers were never installed, tested or commissioned as per the contract agreement.
According to a dossier by the investigating authorities, KPC had hired France’s Agecelec to bring the equipment to Kenya, install and commission them.
However, it is alleged that Redline Limited was paid Sh30 million for the transformers instead. The company according to the dossier, indicated that Redline had installed and commissioned the equipment.
“The EACC established that a total sum of Sh30 million was paid to M/s Redline Limited using false documents whereas the items were never installed, tested or commissioned as per the contract agreement,” EACC boss Twalib Mbarak said.
This was despite the fct that Redline was not involved in the tendering process, signalling a red flag on the transaction.
The case dates back to 2015, with multiple failed attempts of arrest by the EACC owing to technical hitches during the case proceedings.
