• Singer claims her flagging of funds misuse is behind her troubles
Image: COURTESY
Musician Valentine Wanjiru wants the Performers Rights Society of Kenya barred from removing her from the board of directors.
Prisk is Kenya’s leading society for performing artistes. Wanjiru, alias Valentine Zikki, has been at odds with the society since June and was removed as board member.
In a case filed under certificate of urgency, Valentine Wanjiru said she was elected by an overwhelming majority of Prisk members to the board on September 20, 2018.
Others in the board include Prisk CEO Joseph Njagih, chairman Ephantus Kamau and finance committee chair Sylvia Mutyota.
After joining the board, Wanjiru allegedly discovered irregularities and financial impropriety perpetrated by the board members.
She raised issues concerning irregularities and concealment of the loss of Sh3.4 million through a breached procurement.
Through lawyer Perperual Waitere, Wanjiru on July 16 filed a certificate of urgency, raising issues of funds misuse.
“Together with other board members, the claimant raised issues concerning irregularities, concealment of the loss of Sh3.4 million through a breached procurement, financial impropriety with the board in several emails and board meetings, but those concerns were ignored,” reads the petition.
Also mentioned are claims that the Kenya Copyright Board failed to address the procurement issues.
Waitere charges, “The claimant reported the issue of the financial impropriety and procurement irregularities to the EACC and the DCI, and when the chairman of the board of Prisk came to know of this, he initiated the process of removal of the claimant from the board of Prisk.”
According to Wanjiru, on June 26, the board barred her from attending any of its meetings and her duties were assigned to other persons.
In a special meeting convened on June 23, a barrage of accusations were levelled against her and notice for her removal was issued.
She was given 24 hours to respond to the allegations.
Wanjiru then requested the board to be given sufficient time and also to be supplied with the particulars of the allegations, but the request was declined.
She has since been removed from the board after the courts failed to give her orders to stop the board hearing from taking place.
The next hearing will be on August 27.