Bomas of Kenya CEO arrested over Sh8.6m procurement fraud

Bomas of Kenya Chief Executive Officer Peter Gitaa Koria will spend the weekend in cells, following his arrest on Friday afternoon.

Koria, who has since been suspended was arrested on Friday, April 26 after the office of the Director of Public Prosecution recommended that he be charged over his alleged involvement in Sh8.6 million procurement fraud.

He is being detained at the EACC Integrity Centre in Nairobi, awaiting arraignment on Monday, April 29.

Earlier in the day, DPP Renson Ingonga recommended the prosecution of Koria for allegedly engaging in procurement irregularities amounting to Sh8,587,831.

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the DPP said the recommendation follows a thorough investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on procurement fraud and splitting of tenders to irregular awards to suppliers between 2020 and 2021.

"The CEO was found to have engaged in procurement irregularities in the award of various public tenders including; Kitchen items, utensils, cutlery, and other items which were not factored in the Bomas of Kenya's Budget and Procurement Plan FY 2020/2021," the ODPP said.

Koria is facing charges of willful failure to comply with the law relating to procurement by engaging in a procurement process without an approved budget.

The suspended CEO will also be charged with failing to establish an Ad Hoc Inspection and Acceptance Committee.