Former Tourism CS Najib Balala arrested
By K24 Editorial, December 22, 2023Former Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has been arrested by detectives attached to the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) over corruption allegations.
Balala was arrested alongside four other persons on Thursday night over allegations that the Tourism Fund fraudulently paid Ksh8.5 billion to set up Ronald Ngala Utalii College in Kilifi County.
It is alleged that the construction firm was overpaid to the tune of Ksh1,483,460,914.97.
The other officials are Leah Gwiyo (Former PS, Tourism), Joseph Odero (Managing Partner, West Consult Engineers) and Flora Ngina (Former ICT Manager, Tourism Fund).
The officials were detained at Kilimani Police Station pending their arraignment in court.
EACC spokesperson Eric Ngumbi said the suspects were arrested following recommendations by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). They will be arraigned at the Malindi Law Courts.
“They will be flown to Malindi to face charges there after the prosecution approved our recommendations,” Ngumbi said.
The anti-graft agency is pursuing 12 more suspects linked to the alleged fraud.
They include Allan Wafula (Former Tourism Fund CEO), Joseph Rotich (ex-Tourism Fund CEO), Morris Njue (Baseline Architects Limited Director), and Dominic Motanya (Baseline Architects MD).
Others are Rebman Malala (Ujenzi Consultant Director), James Mwangi (Amitech Consulting Engineers Director), Eden Odhiambo (Former Strategy and Resources director at Tourism Fund), Ruth Sande (Former Standard Development Manager at Tourism Fund) and former Tourism Fund procurement manager Joseph Ndungu.
Others who have been mentioned include George Njoroge, the former Senior Levy Inspector at Tourism Fund, former Tourism Fund Procurement manager Norah Mukuna and former Head of Legal at Tourism Fund Nancy Siboe.