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Lost county generator worth Sh2.5m found in former governor’s hotel – PHOTOS

By ALEX NJERU November 24th, 2017 2 min read

A generator worth at least Sh2.5 million belonging to Tharaka-Nithi government that had gone missing was on Friday recovered at a hotel owned by the former governor Samuel Ragwa.

Police and county officers investigating the matter, following a tip-off from a county employee, found the generator installed at the Sammerton Hotel in Kathwana market as a power back-up.

Tharaka-Nithi Police Commander Ms Mary Omari told Journalists that police had launched investigations into the matter.

The lost generator worth Sh2.5 million belonging to Tharaka-Nithi government county that was found at a hotel owned by the former governor Samuel Ragwa. PHOTOS | ALEX NJERU
The lost generator worth Sh2.5 million belonging to Tharaka-Nithi government county that was found at a hotel owned by the former governor Samuel Ragwa. PHOTOS | ALEX NJERU

“County officers have reported that the generator at the former governor Samuel Ragwa’s Sammerton Hotel is a county government property and we have commenced investigation,” said Ms Omari.

Contacted, Mr Ragwa admitted that the generator was indeed the property of the county government.The former governor argued that the generator was installed at his private hotel, which is about 500 metres from the county headquarters, to provide power during a county event held there early in the year, after electricity went off.

LOST OR STOLEN?

“The generator belongs to county government but was installed at the hotel to provide power during a county staff training by Ahadi Kenya Trust,” said Mr Ragwa, denying that it was a stolen item.

A signpost to Sammerton Hotel where the lost generator belonging to Tharaka-Nithi county government was found. PHOTOS | ALEX NJERU
A signpost to Sammerton Hotel where the lost generator belonging to Tharaka-Nithi county government was found. PHOTOS | ALEX NJERU

He said he had on Thursday called the county secretary Dr Fredrick Kamundi seeking to know when they would take it back because he had intended  to clear everything with the new government only to be informed that police were at his hotel claiming it was a stolen item.

According the former governor, the generator was among equipment donated during his tenure by the Ahadi Kenya Trust and there was also a printer worth Sh10,000 at his hotel which was being used during the training.

Tharaka-Nithi government Chief of Staff Mr Wilson Murithi asked any other county employee with government property to surrender.

“We believe there are other government property with people and should be surrendered,” said Mr Murithi.