It is Sh20m bond for indicted former KMA boss in Sh1.8b tender trial

Former Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) Director-General Cosmas Cherop yesterday denied charges of illegally inflating construction cost of the organisation’s building to Sh1.8 billion.

Mr Cherop was charged that on January 11, 2017, he failed to ensure tender award for the project was not adjusted by the tender committee.

Mombasa Chief Magistrate Edna Nyaloti released Cherop on Sh20 million bond or cash bail of Sh6 million.

Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecution Alloys Kemo did not oppose his release on bond.

Also charged was procurement manager Edwin Mongare, who equally was released on Sh20 million bond with a surety of a similar amount or alternative cash bail of Sh6 million.

Illegal adjustment

Mongare was accused of giving an opinion which led to illegal adjustment of the tender figure to Sh1,825,239,939.

Others charged were consultants Peter Kinyanjui, Jared Bowot and Denis Ngenoh who were released on a bond of Sh10 million each with a surety of a similar amount or cash bail of Sh5 million

They denied that on January 1, 2017, in Mombasa County, being persons who were sourced by KMA as experts, they failed to advise the evaluation committee against adjusting the tender price for the construction of the building.

The other accused Seth Arende, Bakari Mwakuyu, Juma Ali, Jemima Musinga and Francis Oluoch were each released on a bond of Sh1 million with a surety of similar or cash bail of Sh500,000.

The five who are members of evaluation committee in the organisation are charged with failing to comply with procurement laws.