Shollei tender committee charged with fraud over CJ residence
Former Judiciary Chief Registrar Gladys Boss Shollei. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
Ms Shollei, who is the first accused in the case, was not before the anti-corruption court presided over by chief magistrate Kennedy Bidali and will answer to the charges on August 24.
Francis Kakai, Martin Okwata, Benedict Omolo, Thomas Atak, Nicholas Mbeba and Wycliffe Wanga denied purchasing property from Johnson Nduya Muthama Holdings Limited without prior planning.
Six members of the Judiciary tender committee that purchased a Sh310-million house intended for the Chief Justice’s use have been charged with corruption.
However, former chief registrar Gladys Shollei, who led the committee and is the first accused in the case, was not before the anti-corruption court presided by chief magistrate Kennedy Bidali on Wednesday.
She is reportedly out of the country and has promised to cut short her trip and return to face charges on August 24.
Francis Kakai, Martin Okwata, Benedict Omolo, Thomas Atak, Nicholas Mbeba and Wycliffe Wanga denied that they engaged in the purchase of the property from Johnson Nduya Muthama Holdings Limited without prior planning.
Their lawyer Tom Macharia successful applied for their release on bond and has been allowed to get copies of witness statements and an investigation diary to prepare their defence.
The prosecution says that between October 5, 2012 and June 3, 2013 at the Supreme Court, Nairobi, being members of the tender committee, they jointly engaged in purchasing a fully furnished residential property for the Chief Justice at Sh310 million without prior planning.
Another charge stated that they wilfully failed to comply with the law relating to tendering of contracts and ignored the lowest evaluated price without justifiable and objective reasons.
They were further charged with failing to comply with the law and guidelines relating to the tendering of contracts by failing to ensure that the Judiciary did not pay in excess of the prevailing market prices in the purchase of the controversial residence.
Shollei will be charged with abuse of office and willful failure to comply with procedures relating to the management of funds.
The first charge states that between April 16 and April 30, 2013 at the Supreme Court, Nairobi, being the chief registrar and accounting officer of the Judiciary, she used her office to improperly confer a benefit on Johnson Nduya Muthama Holdings Limited by executing a contract and approving the payment of Sh310 million for the purchase of the CJ’s prospective residence whereas public procurement and financial procedures were not complied with.
The second charge states that between October 5, 2012 and June 3, 2015 she wilfully failed to comply with the law regarding the management of funds and that the purchase of the residence was done in a manner that was not transparent.
Magistrate Bidali released the suspects on a cash bail of Sh600,000 each or bond of Sh5 million.
The case will be mentioned on August 24 for the fixing of a hearing date.
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