Haji: Ruto is not Kimwarer and Arror dam cases target
Kimwarer and Arror dam cases do not target Deputy President William Ruto, neither were they used to settle political scores, Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji has said.
Haji dismissed claims his office was used to settle political scores in the Kimwarer and Arror dams scandal and have nothing to do with targeting the DP,” said the DPP when he appeared on the Sunday night Punchline talk show on K24 TV.
“Am not political and do not care what they do out there. There is pressure on everybody, not only me, we are all expected to deliver,” said Haji when asked by the host, Ann Kiguta whether he was being pressurised to do his work in a certain way.
“The Treasury has always been or perceived to be under the President himself. Former CS Henry Rotich was appointed by the President.
As as far as I am concerned, he was not a Deputy President’s ally. He was brought there by the President.
The Arror and Kimwarer was a national project, it is not about the Deputy President. It is about a national project that was applied wrongly.
It is about commercial loans taken to the detriment of the Kenyan people,” said Haji.
However, DPP Haji said that the case is still in court where it is bogged down by numerous applications by the defence lawyers.
On claims that his office was being engaged in witch-hunt to prosecute cases targeting certain individuals, Haji said that records before court can attest otherwise.
“You need to come to court to establish whether indeed we presented evidence.
If you look at Busia Governor Sospeter Ojamong case he has been put to defence, this is an indication that we presented a full proof case,” said Haji.
Nonetheless, Haji said that his office is still making headway in the case having won several applications.
He said he had made a number of mutual legal assistance to a number of countries including the United Kingdom and Italy and is giving important leads in terms of money stashed in banks there and who was given what.
Asked to explain the cause of the spat between his office and that of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Haji said the Constitution is clear on each office’s mandate terming the differences as normal in any public set up.
He said despite the fact that the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC), were doing a good job in terms of sensitizing and recovery of stolen money and properties, Kenyans were not appreciating the efforts.
Haji however admitted that systemic corruption has been the cancer that has been gnawing at the heart of the judicial system.
“Corruption is ubiquitous in Kenya. It is all over, whether it is prosecutors or investigators,” said Haji.
But he dismissed claims that the clash between his office and the DCI points to a weak link in the fight against corruption.
