The EACC are investigating Principal Secretary Nicholas Muraguri and 13 other government officials for colluding in a fraudulent scheme to purchase mobile clinics that are lying in waste in Mombasa.
Muraguri, who was then Director of Medical Services, PS Khadija Kassachoom, and directors of Estama Investment Limited are among those who have been sued by the EACC to recover Sh800 million paid for the decrepit portable medical clinics.
Investigators have concluded that there was collusion between Njange Makanga, the director of the disgraced Estama, and several ministry officials including Muraguri and Kassachoom to circumvent procurement procedures.
According to the court papers, on 30 June 2016, Khadiagala asked Muraguri, then Health PS to approve relocation of Sh200 million meant for Uhuru’s flagship project – free maternity —for the delivery of portable clinics.
The reallocation, EACC argues, was made without approval of the National Treasury contrary to the Public Funds Management Act, 2012.
The documents also show how senior ministry officials were allegedly bribed by directors of Estama to get the lucrative contract. A different firm owned by Makanga separately wired Sh1.4 million to members of the ministerial tender committee, ostensibly to procure the tender directly.
They include the Head of supply chain management (procurement) Ephantus Maina Thiga and another officer, Kariuki Ireri Njagi.
Maina pocketed one millions shillings while Ireri received Sh400,000 that EACC suspect were kickbacks for fraudulently awarding the lucrative tender through direct procurement
(Story Courtesy)
