• Wa Iria is said to have influenced the award of tenders worth Sh543 million in favour of Top Image Consultants Limited, a company owned by his close associates.
• The company under the directorship of Jane Mbuthia would transfer the funds received from the county government directly to Wa Iria or indirectly through another company
Murang’a county Governor Mwangi Wa Iria is on the spot for receiving bribes amounting to Sh14 million from a company owned by his associates.
In documents filed in court by the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission, Wa Iria is said to have influenced the award of tenders worth Sh543 million in favour of Top Image Consultants Limited, a company owned by his close associates.
The company under the directorship of Jane Mbuthia would transfer the funds received from the county government directly to Wa Iria or indirectly through another company known as Value View Limited which is owned by his wife Jane Kimani.
The documents indicate that Top Image was, between the financial years 2103/2014 and 2016/2017, awarded the media buying services tenders through requests for quotation and through a framework agreement dated 23 October 2014 in breach of procurement rules and abuse of office on the part of one Patrick Mukuria.
Mukuria was the county secretary of the county government of Murang’a, in charge of executing contracts on behalf of the county.
It is stated that on 23 October 2014, Mukuria on his own motion executed a framework agreement for media buying services in favour of top image without approval from the tender committee.
Wa Iria held an interest in the said contracts awarded to Top Image.
EACC says he received kickbacks from Top Image through bank transfers, cheques and mobile transfers amounting to Sh14 million which the anti-graft seek to recover in this suit.
Top Image later purchased properties on behalf of Value View owned by Wa Iria’s wife out of the funds paid illegally from the county government of Muranga.
High Court Judge Esther Maina today issued an order restraining Wa Iria, Value View Kimani, and Jane Waigwe Kimani from selling leasing, developing or subdividing the properties which are two parcels of land located in Umoja inner-core Nairobi and 13 acres in Mweiga Thungare, Nyeri.
The Judge granted the orders after the commission argued that the properties were acquired using illegally acquired funds.
The orders will remain in force pending the determination of the petition by the EACC for the properties to be forfeited to the government.
The Umoja property was purchased for Sh7.5 million in September 2014 and was paid in full by top image. The Nyeri property was purchased for Sh8.8 million on behalf of Value View.
“Wa Iria used his office to enrich himself. Top Image was paid a total of Sh543 million by the Murang’a county government under the requests for quotations and contracts from the county governments bank accounts held at Central Bank. Out of the said funds, Top image directly financed the purchase of the two properties in favour of a company owned by Wa Iria’s wife.,” says EACC.