Officials arraigned in Sh27m loss probe

Two senior county officials were on Friday charged with corruption at a Kilifi court.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officers detained the two last week as part of an investigation into the alleged loss of millions of shillings meant for a water project in Magarini.

County Chief Officer for Water Samuel Kombe and Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Samuel Hatibu were charged with making a document without authority contrary to Section 357 of the Penal Code.

They pleaded not guilty to the two counts read to them before Senior Principal Magistrate Justus Kituku.

The two officers were charged alongside Serah Musyimi and Charity Musyimi, directors of Geotech Contractors Limited, who were not present in court.

Firm sued

The company has also been sued.

The two were charged that on diverse dates between May 11 and May 20, 2016, they executed an inspection and acceptance certificate amounting to Sh27,258,930 for the construction of Kadzandani-Kamale water project in Magarini.

They also faced another count of uttering a false document.

They were accused that on or about May 20, 2016, they uttered to the finance department an undated inspection and acceptance certificate purporting it to be a genuine document in support of payment of Sh27,258,930 to Geotech Contractors Limited.

The prosecution told the court the first three accused were not found on time and prayed for summons to have them appear before Malindi Chief Magistrate after two weeks.

The prosecution asked the court to issue strong bond terms to the accused.

Mr Kituku released the accused on Sh1 million bond or Sh300,000 cash bail.

The case will be mentioned on May 13.