DPP Haji orders Sonko’s immediate arrest and prosecution – VIDEO
The Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji has ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of Nairobi county governor Mike Sonko over allegations of corruption.
Haji says his office has sufficient evidence to prosecute Sonko and several county employees over alleged graft.
Others also to be charged alongside Sonko are Peter Mbugua Kariuki (County Secretary), Patrick Mwangang’i (Head Supply Chain Management), Negotiation Tender Opening and Evaluation Committee members Samuel Ndung’u Mwangi, Edwin Kariuki Murimi, Lawrence Mwangi, Preston Mwandiki.
Others are senior clerical officers Wambua Ndaka, Andrew Nyasiego alongside private persons and companies that benefited from funds illegally acquired from the Nairobi county government.
“I have directed the EACC to effect the immediate arraignment before court of the accused person named here in below. Officers from the Nairobi city government who facilitated and benefited from irregular procurement amounting to Sh 357,390 299,” DPP said.
According to Haji, the governor and his staff face charges of conspiracy to commit economic crimes, willful failure to comply with the law and conflict of interest.
Other crimes Sonko will be charged with are conflicts of interest arising from having received monies from the county while serving as governor, unlawful acquisition of public property, money laundering and other economic crimes.
“I have ordered for the immediate arrest and arraignment of Sonko and other officials for the crimes of conflict of interest arising from having received money from the county of Nairobi while serving as governor, unlawful acquisition of public property, money laundering and other economic crimes,” Haji said at a media briefing.
According to Haji, the investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) unearthed numerous instances of criminal conduct and a general disregard of law by Sonko and others being charged alongside him.
“The accused person placed their own interest above the interests of the people of Nairobi.
The DPP also ordered law enforcement agencies to investigate attempts to hinder the investigation by EACC into the alleged crimes.
“Investigation into these crimes have been challenging because of the repeated attempt by the accused to obstruct the cause of the investigations by deploying investigation tactics in addition to using goons to threaten law enforcement officials carrying out their constitutional mandate.
This comes a day after a bid by the city governor to stop EACC from investigating him over alleged graft hit a snag for the third time on Thursday.
On September 3, 2019, the city county boss was grilled at the EACC offices over alleged irregularities in garbage collection tenders worth over Sh160 million.