Stephen Ogenga: EACC Arrests Parastatal CEO Alongside His Wife Over KSh 28m Tender Fraud

• NITA director general Stephen Ogenga and his wife Elizabeth Achieng' were arrested on Saturday, June 1
• Whilst Ogenga was being pursued over a KSh 28 million tender fraud at NITA, his wife was arrested for obstructing the EACC officials from apprehending him
• Ogenga and others are being accused of irregularly awarding a multi-million shilling tender at the agency

Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi: The director general of the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), Stephen Ogenga, is in police custody awaiting arraignment.

Ogenga was apprehended in connection with a multi-million tender fraud committed in the 2017/18 fiscal year.

Why NITA boss was arrested with wife

He is accused of irregularly awarding a KSh28.4 million tender for the supply and maintenance of sewing and training machines in the 2017/18 financial year.

Also caught in the dragnet was Ogenga's wife Elizabeth Achieng' who strived to block the officers from picking up her husband from their residence in Nairobi's Hazina Estate on Saturday morning, June 1.

In Achieng's case, whilst her husband's charges were already outlined, the EACC spokesperson Eric Ngumbi told TUKO.co.ke that "appropriate action will be taken against her at the completion of the investigation into Ogenga's conduct."

Others nabbed by the anti-graft body's detectives were Xponioocs Limited directors; James Waweru and Sheila Wambui Nyakinyua.

"The Commission conducted investigations, and upon conclusion, the Commission submitted the files to the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) who upon independent review concurred with the recommendation of the Commission to charge the suspects," the EACC said.

On why the arrest was not publicised nor shared on the EACC official social media handles, Ngumbi told this publication that;

"Owing to the kind of investigations we have been carrying out, it was reasonable to put their arrest low-key and later compile the report and share with the media. The decision to publicise an arrest is dependent on the magnitude of the case."

Ngumbi added that the commission had directed one Paul Kipsang Kosgei, former NITA director general, to report to EACC Headquarters on the morning of Monday, June, without fail.

The group is set to face charges, among them conspiracy to commit corruption, abuse of office, and fraudulent acquisition of public property.

This came months after the EACC detectives went after former Murang'a governor Mwangi Wa Iria, his Jane Waigwe Kimani, and her brother, Solomon Mutura Kimani.

Why Mwangi Wa Iria, his wife were on EACC radar

The trio was arrested over the supposed fraudulent award of tenders to two companies in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 fiscal years.

The EACC was pursuing five other suspects who served under Wa Iria in the foregoing period.

The anti-graft body summoned the eight after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) approved charges against them, but they failed to honour the invitation to probe.

Mwangi wa Iria's unaccounted expenditure

According to the ODPP, KSh 140 million could not be accounted for due to irregularities in procurement and conflicts of interest in tenders awarded to two companies linked with Waigwe and her brother.

The two statutory institutions established that the county government, then under Wa Iria, awarded publicity tenders to Top Image Media Consultancy Ltd and Value View Limited without observing due process.

The ODPP recommended that the eight be charged with conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption contrary to Section 47A (3) as read with Section 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act (ACECA), abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property and conflict of interest.

Other charges are dealing with suspect property and money laundering.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.