Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala cost taxpayers Sh401 million in legal fees following his decision to cancel a mineral licence offered to deceased businessman Jacob Juma.
Mr Balala’s decision to cancel Cortec Mining Limited Licence gifted an American law firm and a local lawyer who defended the Kenyan government in the case filed by Mr Juma at the International Arbitration Sh401,367,055.
Kenya won the case against Cortec and Sterling Capital Limited which was hired and determined in Kenya’s favour at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes in Dubai.
In the suit, Cortec and Sterling sought compensation of between $2 billion and $500 billion (Sh200 billion and Sh500 billion) after the government cancelled their licence for exploration and development of minerals at Mrima Hills, Kwale County.
Cortec Mining Kenya Limited, Cortec (Pty) Limited and Stirling Capital Limited licences were revoked in 2013.
Cortec had been issued with a licence for mining niobium and rare earth minerals at Mrima Hills in Kwale.
The two companies had argued their project was nationalised after they had spent six years and millions of dollars in exploration and development.
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