Economy

Wa Iria claims malice in Sh500m fraud suit

muranga

Muranga County Governor Mwangi Wa Iria. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Murang’a governor Mwangi wa Iria has accused Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) of witch-hunt in the investigation on Sh500 million allegedly spent on media services.

Further, Mr wa Iria has distanced himself from two companies said to be linked to him and which received payments from the county government for media services.

In reply to a case filed by the anti-graft agency, Mr Wa Iria said he does not own the two parcels of land frozen by the court following a petition by EACC.

He added that the order had no basis because there was no evidence to prove that he owns the land in Umoja Innercore (Nairobi) and Mweiga in Nyeri County.

“Ownership of land is a matter of law that cannot be presumed and in the absence of any evidence of applicant’s ownership of the property, the interim orders were procured by misrepresentation of material facts and which, should therefore be set aside,” he said in reply.

Mr Wa Iria said the order was not served to him but was allegedly leaked to the media as part of a political campaign to malign his name.

“The applicant herein is not the owner of the said parcels of land and in this regard, nothing would have been easier than for EACC to annex copies of the title documents or official searches on the same, to the application presented to court as evidence thereof,” he said.

He argued that has no basis involving himself in the procurement of media services within Murang’a, which is subject of the investigations as it is the function of the county’s procurement department.

He faulted EACC saying it merely took the total expenditure of the county for the media services for the eight-year period since the start of devolution and which are funds paid to various media owners and establishments.

He observed that the county spends approximately Sh4 million on monthly basis on media.

“The court will take judicial notice of the fact that curiously the proceedings were instituted immediately after and upon my announcement that I would be a presidential candidate in the General Elections scheduled for r 2022, sponsored by The Usawa Kwa Wote party,” he said.

The court froze the two properties after EACC alleged that they were acquired using funds from the county government.

Justice James Wakiaga granted EACC the order freezing the property for six months.

“Having admitted the same for hearing, I am satisfied that there are reasonable grounds advanced to satisfy the court at this stage that the property herein are proceeds of crime and corruption,” the judge said.

Ms Jemimah Githungu, an investigator with EACC said the commission received allegations of corruption, breach of procurement laws and conflict of interest in the award of tenders by the County government of Murang’a.

According to EACC, the properties might be sold or transferred before the investigations are concluded.

The court heard that EACC sought to place restrictions on the properties but was directed by the Registrar of Lands to obtain a court order, preserving the land, pending the conclusion of investigations.

It is alleged that Mr wa Iria influenced award of tenders in favour of Top Image Consultants Ltd, a company owned by his close associates or relatives.

In the course of conducting investigations, the anti-graft body said it established that there was an illegal award of media buying tenders by the county government at a cost of Sh542 million between 2013 and 2017.

It added that Mr Wa Iria’s associates would subsequently transfer the funds received from the county government to him directly and indirectly through Value View Ltd.

The two properties are suspected to have been purchased through the funds channeled through Top Image and were subsequently registered under Value View Ltd.

Value View Ltd has allegedly been registered under Mr Wa Iria’s wife and a brother in-law.