Chief Executive Officer of Athi Water Works Development Authority Eng. Michael Thuita is in the custody of detectives. This is after he was reportedly nabbed from Parklands this morning where he is said to have been hiding to evade Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) sleuths.
Multiple sources have confirmed that EACC pounced on him to facilitate the production of key documents in his custody after Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome failed to honour the Commission’s request to suspend the Athi Water boss from office.
Thuita reportedly refused to submit documents relating to a multi-billion tender scam for which he is being investigated, prompting EACC to invoke its enforcement powers to compel compliance.
K24 Digital has established that in a search operation that has lasted the whole day, detectives have combed Thuita’s homes in Wetlands and Rongai, as well as his offices on Kiambu Road and retrieved bundles of documents believed to be connected to the scandal.
The suspect is being processed at the EACC Integrity Centre Police Station.
A senior EACC official who declined to give details of the matter confirmed Thuita’s arrest.
“Yes, we have him here and I say no more,” the official said.
The CEO is under probe for alleged fraudulent procurement deals in the design and building of the Ksh24 billion Karimenu II Dam, last mile water connectivity and Sanitation in Tana Athi at Ksh720 million and the design and building of the proposed Ruiru II Dam at Ksh26 billion.
Thuita’s suspension
In a letter dated May 24, 2023, EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak asked Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Alice Wahome to suspend Thuita in order to pave way pave way for investigation.
EACC expressed fears that Thuita’s presence in the office during the probe could jeopardize potential witnesses working under him or affect the smooth flow of documents in his custody as the agency boss.
CS Wahome however did not act on the suspension request by EACC citing lack of sufficient grounds and the need for fairness.
