Kenya Pipeline Managing Director Joe Sang (centre) with Dr.Jonah Ayabe i(left), Director Morendat Institute of Oil and Gas and Gloria Khafafa, company secretary among other executives at the Kenya Pipeline Company headquarters, Nairobi. [Standard]

A Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) employee, his wife, nephew and nephew’s wife are behind the companies being investigated over Sh1 billion tenders fraud.

The man described as a welder at KPC and his relatives are among people who were last month arrested and frog marched to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) offices at Integrity Centre after a two-hour search at their residences.

Records at the Registrar of Companies have established that Aero Dispenser Valves Ltd, the company awarded the Sh647 million tender to supply 60 hydrant pit valves has listed directors as Beryl Aluoch Khansinah, with 700 shares, and Francis Obure.

Beryl is the wife to John Huba Waka, who is KPC welder Francis Amina Juma’s nephew.

The company was registered on May 3, 2013, a year before it was awarded the multi-million shilling tender.

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The other company under investigation by EACC over Sh400 million composite sleeves is Thermo Dynamics Ltd, registered on May 26, 2015 and whose listed directors are Kevin Gunputrav and Mariam Basaddiq, each with 50 shares.

Sealing and Seals Ltd, which is also under scrutiny by EACC, has its listed directors as John Huba Waka with 100 shares, his wife Beryl Aluoch Khasinah with 500 shares and Ruth Auma with 400 shares.

The company was registered on September 26, 2012 and is located at Gill House, Moi Avenue, Nairobi.

On May 23, 2018, EACC detectives conducted simultaneous raids on the residences of former KPC Managing Director Charles Tanui, KPC welder Juma, Waka, Francis Omondi Obure, Procurement Manager Nicholas Gitobu and Finance Manager Samuel Odoyo as investigations took a new twist.

The detectives searched their homes for two hours and drove them to integrity centre where they were interrogated until as late as 9pm before they were allowed to go home.

The detectives have visited Kisumu’s KPC depot perimeter wall and an Eldoret building constructed by the same contractor at the same time.

Investigations have since established that Aero Dispenser did not have the purported authority to supply hydrant pit valves.