Uncover scam complainants identity, DP office demands
The Office of Deputy President William Ruto now wants the purported complainants in the fake Sh39 billion arms tender scam probed to uncover their real identity.
Meanwhile, detectives arrested two directors of a firm in whose bank account police believe the Sh11 million facilitation and consultancy fees was deposited before it was withdrawn.
Sources said Doreen Naomy Ratemo and Chrispine Oduor Odipo, both directors of Pzels Company Limited were arrested last afternoon over the arms scam. The firm received Sh11.5 million on behalf of Rashid Echesa and his team as consultancy fee.
Though former Cabinet secretary Rashid Echesa is a frequent visitor at the DP’s office, his Chief of Staff Ken Osinde termed the visit a very serious breach of DP’s security that required thorough forensic investigation to establish among other things, how Echesa, in the company of foreigners, accessed the DP’s office.
Criminal records
In a letter to Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, the DP’s office also demanded that the immigration status and criminal records, if any, of the foreigners be established besides extending the probe to the Immigration Department.
A source at police headquarters, however, dismissed the demand, terming it diversionary.
“Investigations have been going on in respect to the same. I wonder which investigation we are being asked to carry when we are almost concluding,” said the senior officer.
Yesterday, detectives from the Serious Crime unit (SCU) at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) questioned six police officers and a receptionist, all from DP Ruto’s office.
Notably, Osinde’s demand does not address the main issue of the fake tender, but instead portrays the ODP as the victim.
The ODP had earlier said that Echesa and the two foreigners accessed his office on February 13 between 9.39 and 10.02am. Ruto now wants the DCI to establish how many people accessed the waiting room and more importantly, which security officers facilitated the entry. Osinde further said that the ongoing probe by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) should focus on the identity of the alleged complainants—Mustafa Mamdough Amer Lofty and Kozlowski Stanley Bruno —and the type of the visa they had.
“There should be a thorough forensic investigation to establish the identity of the foreigners, their immigration status and their mission in Kenya and at the DP’s office,” Osinde wrote. He further asked the detectives to reveal the identity and the mission of the other persons who accompanied Echesa and their criminal record, if any.
“Foreign Affairs should facilitate information of these foreigners and the profiles of the companies they purport to represent,” he said. “The foreigners should not be allowed to leave the country until this forensic investigation is done and information obtained. This is a matter of grave concern to the security of the Deputy President and other users of Harambee House Annex,” he added.
A source at the DCI headquarters said forensic investigation of Eco Advance Technology LLC, their representatives in Kenya and the nature of their business had already been done.
Osinde further sought to know from the police boss what action his office would take to ensure similar incidents do not take place again.
The DCI on February 13 wrote to the office of the DP, vide a letter referenced CID/IB/SCU/SEC/4/4/1/VOL. L//131, notifying his office of the probe.
The ODP responded and asked the DCI to carry out thorough investigations expeditiously on the alleged “serious offences” and take appropriate action against those concerned.
“Any officer in our establishment who will be found culpable should be arraigned in court the soonest possible. Urgently take necessary action and keep this office informed,” Osinde said.
Detectives yesterday continued with the investigations whose scope had been widened. Sources at the DCI yesterday said there were more players than initially thought.
Spirited fight
The DP and his allies have in the last two days put up a spirited fight to exonerate him, maintaining that so far there was no direct evidence linking the DP.
Yesterday, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen tweeted: “I believe Mustafa Lofty and Stanley Kozlowski are later days Artur brothers. They are mercenaries. Arrest them. They can’t be investors. No investor can sign a DoD contract of 30B in waiting room without a lawyer or witnesses. The whole thing was a set up and by good luck DP wasn’t in Annex.”
Murkomen on Tuesday also said: “In the purported DoD Security Equipment scandal we know Rashid Echesa. Who are these other suspects Daniel Otieno Omondi alias General Juma, Clifford Okoth Onyago and Kennedy Oyoo Mboya. In a country where association matters more than facts, whose allies are they?”
Detectives said Aleja Niepodlegosci, a Polish national and director of Howells Investments located in Warsaw, Poland where Echesa and team visited, will also be questioned. Also to be established is whether his company was on October 22, 2019 awarded another fake tender for the supply of military equipment.
