Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos on Thursday was taken to task by the anti-graft agency to explain irregularities concerning Sh200 million health and fuel tenders.
The governor was summoned to Integrity House, Nairobi, where he was grilled for four hours and provided documents to aid the commission in investigations.
Afterwards, he told reporters, “I have come to give my side of the story. I was asked about the supply of Sh742,760 to the department of Health and the fuel supply to the county ambulances and health facilities."
Key sources at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission told the Star that a number of companies, which are under investigations for alleged procurement malpractices, were directly associated with the governor.
He was accompanied by his deputy Wisley Rotich, chief of staff Barmaasai Kipng’etich and Health CEC Paul Chemmuttut.
The governor told reporters that he honoured the summons by EACC to investigate alleged procurement irregularities during the 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 financial years. He called responding to the summons as normal.
“Of concern is a matter of alleged misappropriation of Sh200 million which has been sensationally reported by the media. We have furnished the EACC with all information and documents relevant to the investigation,” the county communications office said in a press statement. It was sent out later in the day.
An EACC source told the Star investigations were ongoing.
“We are looking at what [information] he has provided and what we have. If it’s strong evidence to tighten the case, then we are fine. However, if it's weak, we will still summon the governor here for another interrogation,” the source said.
The EACC is expected to forward Tolgos's file to the Office of the Director of Investigations after it has completed its probe.
Edited by R.Wamochie
