Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and his wife Susan Wangari are already at the Milimani Law Courts ready to face charges over a Sh855 million scandal in the county.
They two spent night in police custody, alongside three other suspects – including two officials from the county accused of roles in the scandal.
They were all driven to Milimani Law Courts Monday morning, under tight security.
The couple surrendered separately to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) at Integrity Centre in Nairobi on Sunday when they were swiftly detained.
First to turn himself in was Waititu at about 10 am followed by his wife in the afternoon, according to EACC Spokesman Yassin Amaro.
Wangari will be facing charges as a director of Bienvenue Delta hotel and Saila Two Estate Developers Limited which she co-founded with Waititu, which was were said to have been beneficiaries of proceeds of crime.
In total, the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji said he approved charges against ten suspects, three of whom were arrested on Saturday namely a director of M/S Testimony Enterprises Limited, Charles Mbuthia Chege, Tender Evaluation Committee members Joyce Ngina Musyoka and Simon Kabocho Kangethe.
In his Friday night statement, Haji said there was sufficient evidence to charge Waititu and his wife whose company Saika Two Estate Developers Limited received Sh25,624,500 from Testimony enterprises Limited Contractor—a firm contracted by the county to develop roads through an irregular tendering process.
“Once the funds were paid by Kiambu County Government, a total of Sh25,624,500 was remitted to entities associated with Waititu,” EACC said in its investigation file sent to the DPP for approval of charges.
“Having independently reviewed the evidence in the inquiry file and the report, I am satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to sustain charges,” the DPP said.
Waititu will be facing charges alongside a Chief Officer in charge of roads at the county Engineer Lucas Wahinya and two directors of the company that was awarded the tender.
The DPP exonerated Waititu’s daughter Monica Njeri, a co-director in the family’s company, saying she was not aware of its dealings.
“Upon review, we find that she was a sleeping director and not active in the affairs of the company,” Haji said. EACC had wanted her prosecuted alongside her parents.
In previous media interviews, Waititu denies all allegations leveled against him, insisting that all property said to have been acquired through proceeds of crime were bought long before he became a Governor.
But EACC said it has evidence that he bought most of the properties including Delta hotel in Nairobi from funds acquired corruptly.
