Suspended Land and Housing secretary Charity Ngilu. PHOTO | FILE
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DPP has recommended that Mrs Ngilu be charged for hindering investigators from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission from gathering evidence.
Suspended Land and Housing secretary Charity Ngilu will be charged for blocking investigators from pursuing graft at the ministry.
Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko has recommended that Mrs Ngilu be charged for hindering investigators from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) from gathering evidence.
The anti-graft body has been investigating allegations that top State officials were beneficiaries of a multi-billion shilling parcel of land in upmarket Karen, which was being claimed by multiple individuals.
“The EACC has recommended that the CS be charged with obstruction of investigations. She is alleged to have obstructed the collection of evidence regarding fraudulent transactions,” said Mr Tobiko in a statement on Wednesday.
“Having reviewed the evidence, I am convinced that the recommended charge is sustainable. I have therefore accepted EACC’s recommendations that the CS (Cabinet secretary) be charged with the offence of obstruction.”
Mrs Ngilu becomes the second high profile State official to be charged after Transport CS Michael Kamau was arraigned a fortnight ago.
This will complicate her return to the Cabinet. Mr Tobiko has directed that senior officials at the Land ministry, including the chief land registrar, her deputy, the senior deputy director of survey and the registrar of titles be charged with fraud.
Mrs Ngilu escaped the fraud charge in connection to the Karen land.
An unnamed director of a firm called Telesource will also be charged along with the officials. Telesource, which is associated with former National Social Security Fund (NSSF) head Jos Konzolo, was claiming ownership of the land.
Lawyer Horatius Da Gama Rose of Muchanga Investment Ltd also claimed ownership in the land, which had been allocated to multiple people, according to the EACC.
Suspended Agriculture CS Felix Koskei escaped a date with the court after EACC recommended his case to be dropped as there was no evidence to the allegations.
Mr Koskei had been accused of leasing out land belonging to Kenya Veterinary Vaccine Production Institute (Kevevapi) at Tigoni and ploughed 100 acres where he planted potato seeds.
Other cabinet secretaries yet to be fully cleared by EACC are Labour’ Kambi Kazungu and Energy CS Davies Chirchir.
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