Former Sports Principal Secretary Peter Kaberia and nine other suspects have been charged over the alleged loss of Ksh330 million set aside for Kenya’s preparations to host the 2018 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga approved the charges following investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The suspects include four former officials from the Ministry of Sports and five businessmen. The government officials are a former Senior Principal Finance Officer, former Director of Administration, former Principal Accountant and former Senior Superintendent Engineer.
Five companies have also been charged over the alleged financial misconduct.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 8, Ingonga said the EACC investigation file had been submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review and guidance.
He said an independent assessment of the evidence found sufficient grounds to prosecute the suspects and the companies involved.
Charges facing Kaberia and others
The accused are facing charges including abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property, failure to comply with procurement laws, acquisition of proceeds of crime and financial misconduct.
Ingonga said the prosecution was part of efforts to protect public funds and ensure those entrusted with public resources are held accountable.
“We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law, safeguarding public resources, promoting integrity, and ensuring accountability in the management of public affairs,” he said.
How the Ksh330 million was lost
The case dates back to a Ksh1.5 billion contract awarded by the State Department for Sports Development to a private company in 2017.
The contract was meant to cover the design, supply, installation and commissioning of security systems, pitch lighting and audio-visual networks at various Kenyan stadiums ahead of CHAN 2018.
However, investigations by EACC found that the contract had been single-sourced and did not have proper bidding security.
Investigators also found that the procurement process had not followed the required procedures.
Despite Ksh330 million being paid for the project, EACC established that no work was carried out, supervised or completed.
The latest criminal charges come seven months after EACC moved to court seeking to recover the Ksh330 million, which investigators described at the time as money paid through a fraudulent stadium tender.
The case now moves to the courts, where the former officials, businessmen and companies will face the charges brought against them.