Part of the daily Shs. 2b Saga: EACC freezes Wa Iria’s assets in Sh542 million tender probe

https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2021-01-24-eacc-freezes-wa-irias-assets-in-sh542-million-tender-probe/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR1IZ4aUs6IWQmLPRqm4aXsd-bqemEarwcrVHrkKogFWzlSA-e1ji4VxVH8#Echobox=1611553246

The anti-corruption court has frozen assets worth millions of shillings associated with Muranga Governor Mwangi Wa Iria believed to be proceeds of corruption.
The Ethics and anti-Corruption Commission told the court that Wa Iria and his family received kickbacks from a contract worth Sh542 million, which the commission believes was awarded irregularly.
The commission is planning to file another application seeking to have the assets forfeited to the government at the conclusion of their probe.

The court case may deal a blow to the two-term governor who has declared his interest in running for president in 2022.
Wa Iria is also hoping to succeed Wycliffe Oparanya as Council of Governors chairman having served as the vice chair in the last one year.
In the court case, EACC says Wa Iria influenced the award of Sh542,610,615 media buying tender to Top Image Media Consultants Ltd a firm the detectives say is owned by the governor’s relatives and associates.
One Jane Mbuthia is listed as the director of the firm.
“It was alleged that Top Image Media Consultants Ltd, a company owned by Wa Iria’s associates/relatives had been irregularly awarded various media buying tenders in the county government of Muranga between the financial years 2014/2015 and 2016/2017 and received a sum of Sh542 million.
“Preliminary investigations have further confirmed that indeed the 1st respondent [Wa Iria] held direct and indirect interest in the contract awarded to the 2nd respondent [Top Image Media Consultants Ltd] as the 2nd respondent would subsequently transfer funds to the Ist respondent,"EACC said in court papers obtained by the Star.
Reached for a comment, Mbuthia told the Star that she was not aware of the EACC probe but said her dealings were clean.
“Anything I have done with Murang’a is above board. I do not know what anyone is talking about,” she responded.
Wa Iria did not respond to phone calls.
He however told the Star in a text message, “you cant pretend to talk to me after filing a story to suit your interests.”
However, an aide who did not want to be quoted claimed the governor was being persecuted for throwing his hat in the presidential ring.
“Hii ni fitina. Once you declare you interest in such a big job, you will be fought. The governor is so popular across all the Mt Kenya region,” he stated.
However Wa Iria’s run-in with EACC started long before he declared he would be gunning for the country’s top job.

In 2016 EACC detectives raided his house but the operations turned chaotic with investigators claiming they were assaulted by the governor’s supporters.
In its court papers, EACC said Top Image was solely awarded tenders for diverse contracts ranging from road construction contracts to events organising contracts in complete breach of procurement laws and conflict of interest.
The Murang’a county government tender committee has also told EACC, in the court documents, that it did not approve the awarding of the controversial tender.
After the payments were effected, EACC discovered, Top Image Media Consultants Ltd would wire back the proceeds to Wa Iria through a firm owned by his wife Jane Waigwe Kimani and his brother in law Solomon Mutura Kimani.
Jane and Solomon are the two are directors of Value View Ltd.
Part of the cash was then used to buy a property in Umoja Innercore at Sh7.5 million and 13 acres of land in Nyeri worth Sh8.8 million.
It’s these properties that Justice James Wakiaga barred Wa Iria and his associates from dealing with to allow EACC to complete its investigations.
“I am satisfied that there are reasonable grounds advanced to satisfy the court at this stage that the property therein are proceeds of crime and corruption,” the judge said on Friday, putting a caveat on the properties for six months.
The Nairobi property, known as block 83/4/309, was registered in the name of Value View Ltd, a firm whose directors are believed to be Wa Iria’s wife and brother-in-law.
In their dealings, Top Image Media Consultants Ltd did not send money directly to Wairia and his family.
Instead the money was sent to lawyers who bought the properties on their behalf.
The Nyeri land, LR NO. Mweiga Thungare/Block 11/Therange parcel number 762, was sold by Charles Kimotho Munene and Lucy Nyambura Nderitu.
According to EACC, Wa Iria initially wanted to buy 40 acres at Sh26.8 million but defaulted after paying for only 13 acres.
In its investigations, EACC went to great lengths to prove that the players were associates of the governor.
For instance, to prove that Jane is Wa Iria’s wife, detectives retrieved their records from the National Hospital Insurance Fund as well as a certificate of marriage.
The detectives also obtained an email by Mbuthia, the director of Top Image to the advocates of Value View Ltd and copied to Wa Iria seeking acknowledgement of Sh7.5 million for the purchase of the Umoja property.

Soon moving to Team Tangatanga, where the corrupt enjoy peace and tranquility.

Am not in any way condoning corruption but i thought if one wanted to steal you don’t use your relatives…isnt it common sense?

I am wondering how he could have done that too… and this a seasoned corporate practitioner… But I bet ni mwizi tu… may be not proven… but if it quacks like a duck…? Just like Waiguru…

Corruption in .ke doesn’t need any form of sophistication, pea bibi na watoto tender

Before joining politics, Wa Iria was the Managing Director of New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC). He has also served as National Sales manager of Kenya Breweries Ltd, Managing Director of Ngano Feeds Ltd, CEO of Freshco Seeds and as General Manager of the Commercial Division of Industrial Promotion Services that brings together more than 30 companies owned by the Aga Khan Development Network.[4]

Sounds good.

To be honest, which politician is CLEAN? As in Clean that if the system starts to “look for them” they will not be found?

Fixed

Ngoja uone @sani next week with an alternative perspective.

The empire lazima ishike mizizi mpende mpende. Through bbi, the family will ensure that the pm seat seat is forever theirs. A kenyatta or a very close ally will always hold that position. They will support (and rig if necessary) a weak president like mdvd who will appoint the pm of their choice. They pm will be the defacto president. And the empire will be safe and will thrive.

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Wote ni wezi…

There will never be a weak presiđent in Africa…thèy always transform once in power…this is the case with the current presidents in Angola, Zambia, DRC , Ethiopia, Botswana and Tanzania. Anybody who comes after uhuru would be a guaranteed step up

kama wewe ni gavana ukiiba (kama Kakamega hupewa 10 billion per year , cheza 4 billion per year times ten years hio ni 40 billion) hio pesa rusha offshore cayman islands every time unacheza) hapa cheza chini na mshande na ukirushiwa kidogokidogo then after ten years chukua MP na umumunye pesa polepole. an MP is basically untouchable , electors wakikukataa nunua nomination from raira or uhuru or ford kenya

All our leaders are thieves