Two more suspects have been charged in a Ksh562 million case involving former Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria.
The Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) says Jane Waigwe Kimani (Director of Value View Ltd) and David Maina Kiama (Director of Top Image Consultants) have denied the charges against them.
They were arraigned before Milimani Anti-Corruption Magistrate Victor Wakhumile where they denied the charges and were released on a Ksh5 million bond or an alternative of Ksh1 million bail.
“Two suspects who were yet to take plea in the Murangá County corruption case involving Kes. 562 million fraudulent tenders; Jane Waigwe Kimani (Director of Value View Ltd) and David Maina Kiama (Director of Top Image Consultants) have been charged,” EACC said.
“Appearing before Milimani Anti-Corruption Magistrate Victor Wakhumile, the accused persons denied all the charges. The Court has released them on a bond of Kes. 5 million or in the alternative a cash bail of Kes.1 million. They were ordered to deposit travel documents with the court and not to leave the country without the court’s permission.”
The matter will be mentioned on May 14, 2024.
Case against Murang’a governor
This comes days after former Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria was charged in connection to the same.
Wa Iria was charged with colluding with his wife Jane Waigwe Kimani and eight others to defraud Murang’a County of hundreds of millions through graft.
In the case, the former governor is charged alongside his wife Waigwe, brother-in-law Solomon Mutura, personal assistant Peter Muturi Karanja and others in relation to tenders for media and publicity awarded to a company linked to them known as Top Image Consultants at a cost of Ksh562 million during the financial years 2014/2015 and 2015/2016.
On April 14, 2024, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommended the prosecution of the suspects of irregularly awarding tenders and other procurement irregularities totalling Ksh351 million.
The DPP noted that investigations carried out by EACC revealed that the suspects fraudulently awarded tenders to Top Image Media Consultancy Limited and Value View Limited with disregard for conflict of interest.
The state prosecutor’s decision to okay criminal charges against the former governor and his wife comes months after the High Court froze Waigwe’s two properties valued at Ksh15 million purchased through proceeds of crime.
