Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, his wife Susan among other suspects to be charged over a Sh580 million irregular tender at the Milimani Law Courts on July 29, 2019.
Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and his wife Susan Wangari on Monday denied corruption charges following their arrest at the weekend.
The two, who appeared before Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi, were charged alongside two directors of the company that won a tender to construct roads in the county and officials who awarded the tender.
Charges read out to Waititu include engaging in a fraud, conflict of interest, dealing with suspect property, money laundering and abuse of office.
He was represented by lawyer Prof. Tom Ojienda who argued that there was no evidence that tax-payers’ money was lost, saying the issue was largely on how the tender was awarded.
In approving charges against the suspects, Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji said there is enough evidence to charge Waititu and his wife whose company Saika Two Estate Developers Limited received more than Sh25 million from Testimony enterprises Limited Contractor–a firm contracted by the county to develop roads through an irregular tendering process.
The DPP however exonerated Waititu’s daughter Monica Njeri, a co-director in the family’s company, saying she was not aware of its dealings.
Ojienda argued that all the accused persons were legally entitled to bail, and poked holes in a ruling issued recently by Justice Mumbi Ngugi that governors charged with economic crimes vacate office during the duration of their trial.
