• Detectives investigating the dams scandal yesterday told the Star that a PS's signature was being sought to facilitate the release of additional money.
• The two are the high-ranking government officials whom DCI chief George Kinoti is planning to charge in court over the dams mess that shook the country.
Image: PSCU
The dams scandal deepened yesterday as the Star learnt that a Cabinet Secretary unsuccessfully pushed his PS to sign payment documents with a promise of a Sh200 million kickback.
A member of the investigating team told the Star in confidence that the DCI now has "the smoking gun" and would pounce on two Cabinet Secretaries at the heart of the dams scam.
This is one new line the Directorate of Criminal Investigations is pursuing in connection to the Kamwerer and Arror dams.
The minister told his Principal Secretary that there was Sh200 million cut for them if he would sign crucial documents that would have unlocked Sh4 billion more from the National Treasury.
At this point, Sh21 billion had already been paid out by the Treasury as a downpayment to Italy based CMC di Ravenna, which was contracted to do the two projects.
But the firm, which had already obtained significant tax exemptions to import machinery and construction-related equipment, never moved to the site in Elgeyo Marakwet despite receiving billions in advance payments.
Detectives investigating the dams scandal yesterday told the Star that the PS's signature was being sought to facilitate the release of additional money and he was under immense pressure.
According to ministry operations, the PS is the accounting officer and the one who signs for payments.
However, the PS turned down the offer and insisted that due process would be followed before he could sign the crucial documents.
Image: MATHEWS NDANYI
The PS is now regarded as a key witness in the case being firmed up by the DCI against his boss, the CS.
The PS told investigators that he was ready to testify against his boss accused of corruption in a development that could shake the government.
This would also be a major breakthrough for the DCI in unravelling the mystery surrounding the release of Treasury money for the construction of the two dams, despite glaring breaches and irregularities.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations is said to have narrowed down the probe for arrest and prosecution to the CS who pushed for the Sh200 million bribe as well as another Cabinet member.
The other CS is said to have been among the top government officials who also applied a lot of pressure for the signing of the documents for the release of more cash from the Treasury.
The two are the high-ranking government officials whom DCI chief George Kinoti is planning to charge in court over the dams mess that shook the country.
If arrested and charged, the duo would be forced to step aside in what could trigger the Cabinet reshuffle that President Uhuru Kenyatta is said to be working on.
On Thursday, President Uhuru fell short of cracking the whip on graft suspects saying the anti-graft war must not be pursued through what he termed “vigilante justice”.
The President, however, promised that he would not hesitate to expel from the government anyone charged in court with corruption.
Yesterday, high-ranking DCI officials familiar with the investigations told the Star that the arrest of the two high-ranking officials in Uhuru’s government would happen as early as Easter weekend.
Should everything go according to the plans, the two CS and a parastatal chief could end up spending the entire Easter holiday in police cells.
Yesterday DCI chief Kinoti could not be reached for comment on the latest development as he did not answer calls or reply to messages sent to his phone.
Yesterday, the investigators who spoke on condition of anonymity said the investigations were in the last phase after police concluded recording of statements from more than 50 government officials, including CSs and PSs.
As I have I done before, I undertake to act and remove from the government any individual who will have a case to answer before the court.President Uhuru Kenyatta
Last week DPP Noordin Haji said in a statement that he was yet to receive the investigation files from the DCI over the dams probe.
He called for patience saying the nature of the investigation was complex and would take more time to be completed before suspects are arraigned.
However, a senior Cabinet official, identified as one of the high-ranking government officials who made calls to push for the signing and release of the documents, was yet to be questioned by detectives.
After the top official was implicated in the scandal, there was panic in government and even the DCI top chiefs. Kinoti is yet to give directions on whether the official named would be questioned by the police.
The final release of the Sh4 billion was marked by coercion and sweet talk between the players in the scandal.
Top DCI chiefs have been treading carefully after politicians started attacking the Kinoti over the investigations.
CS Peter Munya has since revealed how he was under pressure both from his juniors and a senior Cabinet official to sign documents for the Treasury to release the funds.
He told the DCI's Serious Crimes Unit investigators how he received numerous calls impressing on him the need to sign documents and this made him suspicious of the deal.