Attorney-General (AG) Kihara Kariuki has assured Kenyans that individuals who squandered Covid-19 funds will be held accountable.
Speaking during a panel session at the COVID-19 conference at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre on Monday, AG Kariuki revealed that already 52 people have been summoned by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to record statements.
“Some 52 persons of interest have been called in to write statements and they have and the documentation with regard to the payments has been secured and analyzed. As we speak a report has been tendered to the Director of Public Prosecutions,” Kariuki said.
The AG said that investigations at the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa) started on June 18, with EACC adopting a two-phased approach into the procurement saga.
“I must emphasize that people will be prosecuted arising from what has happened at Kemsa,” Kariuki said.
EACC has been nvestigating how tenders to supply COVID-19 personal protective equipment worth billions were dished out to companies associated with politicians and influential businessmen, some whom never supplied anything.
Already, Kemsa Chief Executive Officer Jonah Manjari and top procurement and finance officials are on suspension over the matter.
Among top officials questioned in the investigations so far are Kemsa Board Chairman Kembi Gitura, board members and select staff with knowledge of how the tenders were issued or paid.
Jubilee Party Vice Chairperson David Murathe was also questioned but demanded that detectives also question Deputy President William Ruto over alleged links to a company at the centre of the investigations in the COVID-19 tenders.
