County officers slapped with hefty fines over Sh5.6m tender award

Eight Kericho County road department officials found guilty over an irregular award of a Sh5.6 million tender have been slapped with hefty fines by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Court.

The sentence was delivered by Kericho Chief Magistrate Mr Evans Makori on behalf of Chief Magistrate Samuel Mukoa, who has since been transferred.

Lillian Chepkoech, the roads department’s inspector and the director of Jawlink Logistics Company, through which she received Sh3.8 million, the sum paid out to her company for the construction of the road, was fined Sh9.6 million or serve a three-year jail term in default.

The tender was for the construction of the Bae-Kapsimotwet-Kibara road.

Chepkoech’s co-accused and directors of Jawlink Logistics John Kimutai Rotich and Japhet Kipngeno were each fined Sh2 million or in default serve a two-year jail term.

Peter Koskei, the roads department chief officer, was fined Sh1.3 million or in default serve eight years in prison.

Koskei had been found guilty of willfully failing to comply with the law relating to the procurement by awarding a contract to Jawlink Logistics Limited.

Roads engineer Joash Chirchir, roads inspector Stanley Ruto, procurement officer Charles Mambwai and Aaron Njoroge, an accountant, were each fined Sh300,000 or serve two years in jail. The ad-hoc evaluation committee members had been found guilty of failing to adhere to the compliance and evaluation criteria in recommending the road tender.

The court granted the accused 14 days to appeal.

Anti-corruption crusader Mr Ben Siele commended the court for the verdict, terming it a milestone in the fight against corruption.