DCI, DPP probe Sh400m kickback paid to senior state officials by Italian firm -

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Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti and Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji are leading a team of investigators in Italy probing an ealier visit of Deputy President William Ruto, Water Cabinet Secretary Simon Kiprono Chelugui together with a number of governors and top state officials to that county.

Kenyan News Day can reliably Haji and Kinoti are leading high level investigations into payments of huge kickbacks facilitated by an Italian conglomerate Co-operativa Muratoi e Cementisti Di Ravenna (CMC di Ravenna) that was contracted by the government of Kenya construction of the Arror and Talal Kimwarer hydro-power dam projects in Elgeyo Marakwet County.

The two mega projects are to be constructed by CMC at cost Sh68 billion under the Kerio Valley Development Authority. A third project by the same firm is on-going at Nakuru County.

According to DCI sources that did not want to be named, Italian Construction conglomerate CMC di Ravenna recorded a statement and provided evidence showing how senior state officials extorted and were paid bribes amounting to a whopping Sh400 million shillings, around 10% of the Sh4.9 billion down payment it had irregularly received.

The money was reportedly wired to several offshore bank accounts in China, Dubai and Jersey Islands held in the names of shell companies associated with senior state officials in Kenya.

In early December 2018 DP Ruto and CS Chelugui arrived in Rome, Italy in a visit whose objective was officially described by the DP press service as one intended to pursue avenues of collaboration in the areas of agriculture and trade; explore new markets for Kenya in coffee, tea and leather industries; gain insights on best practices in leveraging agro processing and value addition, especially in the dairy sector to achieve food security and grow our economy.

In Rome, Italy to pursue avenues of collaboration in areas of agriculture, trade; explore new markets for Kenya in coffee, tea, leather industries; gain insights on best practices in leveraging agro processing, value addition, especially in dairy sector to achieve food security. pic.twitter.com/OinoXU4ck1

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) December 2, 2018

Our source at DCI termed this camouflage description on visit by the DP and his delegation as one designed to cover up negotiations with top executives of the Italian firm contracted for the water dam projects.

Arror dam in Marakwet West constituency has a project value of Sh38.5 billion while Kimwarer, Keiyo South constituency is worth Sh28 billion. That is in addition to Itare dam in Kuresoi North, Nakuru County worth Sh27 billion, meaning total project costs by CMC di Ravenna is a staggering Sh91 billion.

These dams are being constructed by a loan from the Italian Government which was negotiated by President Uhuru Kenyatta when he made a state visit to Rome in September 2015.

So huge are the projects that CMC do Ravenna opened offices in Nairobi, Nakuru and Eldoret to oversee the development of the controversial dams. In Nairobi, CMC has offices at the prestigious Galana Plaza, within the affluent Kilimani surburb.

Questions were also being raise how CMC, which recently filed for bankruptcy, was being paid in advance for projects whose land acquisition was yet to be completed.

During his visit to Italy, DP met with the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio, the country’s Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi and also addressed Kenyans living in Rome.

Ruto was accompanied by Governors Ali Roba of Mandera, Joyce Laboso of Bomet, Mutahi Kahiga of Nyeri and Paul Chepkwony of Kericho and a host of other officials from KVDA and ministry of water.

Ironically, one of the people expected to provide logistical and diplomatic support to the Kenyan investigators is DP’s Ruto daughter June Chepchirchir Ruto, holds the senior rank of second counsellor in the Kenyan embassy in Rome.

In the course of their investigative work, the Kenyan sleuths will visit several banks, CMC di Ravenna and as well as the Italian government officials and state prosecutors.

The mission to Rome comes hot on the heels of an interministerial conference Interior CS Fred Matiang’i convened recently at the Kenya School of Monetary Studies bringing together CS James Macharia (Roads), Simon Chelugui (Water), Raychelle Omamo (Defence), and more than three dozen principal secretaries.

Also in the conference were Attorney General Paul Kariuki, DPP Noordin Haji, DCI George Kinoti, EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak and chief executives of State agencies under the infrastructural ministries.