Anti-graft body detain Yatani for a day, raid home in fraud probe
Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) yesterday raided the homes of former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani (pictured), and Marsabit Governor Ali Mohamed Mohammud.
The two, together with top former and current Marsabit County officials have been linked to a suspected corruption deal where up to Sh8.2 billion is said to have been lost or stolen.
Yattani was detained at the EACC Integrity Centre Police station the whole day.
The EACC also said Marsabit Governor Mohamed Ali and several other county officials are also on their radar.
Both Yatani’s and Mohammud’s residences in Nairobi and Marsabit counties were raided yesterday and crucial documents carted away.
Yatani served as Governor for Marsabit before being appointed to the Labour docket and later Treasury as the Cabinet Secretary, under former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime.
Misappropriation of funds
Yattani was taken to the Integrity Centre at around noon, accompanied by his lawyers, including Siaya Governor James Orengo, former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo.
The anti-graft body’s detectives have been going through files related to the misappropriation of funds in Marsabit county where Yattani served between 2013 and 2017.
Yattani becomes the second Cabinet Secretary from retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s cabinet to be arrested over corruption allegations.
Last December, former Tourism Minister in the Uhuru cabinet, Najib Balala was arrested and charged with corruption.
Procurement fraud
Charged alongside Balala included former Tourism Principal Secretary Leah Gwiyo, Joseph Odero (Managing Partner, West Consult Engineers) and Flora Ngina (Former ICT Manager, Tourism Fund).
They were charged in connection with procurement fraud and irregular payment of Sh8.5 billion in the construction of the proposed Ronald Ngala Utalii College in Vipingo.
An attempt to arrest former powerful Interior CS under Uhuru, Fred Matiang’i in February last year flopped after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) withdrew charges for lack of evidence.
Detectives had raided Dr Matiang’i’s home in the upmarket Karen neighbourhood in Nairobi on allegations of uttering false information alongside Nairobi lawyer Danstan Omari.
