Kiambu County Governor Ferdinand Waititu and his wife Susan Wangari Ndung’u will spend Monday night behind bars pending a ruling on their bail application on Tuesday.
The couple, alongside eight other suspects, were charged over a Ksh 588 million tender that was irregularly awarded to a firm linked to the Governor.
The governor and his wife denied six counts of irregular procurement of a tender awarded to a company for the upgrading of various roads in the county.
They appeared before Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi alongside the County Chief Officer for Roads, Lukas Wahinya, five members of the Kiambu County Tender Evaluation Committee and two directors of Testimony Enterprises Limited.
Get breaking news on your Mobile as-it-happens. SMS ‘NEWS’ to 22163
The governor and his wife were also charged with conflict of interest and dealing with suspect property.
According to the charge sheet, it is alleged that between July 2, 2018, and March 13, 2019, the governor received Ksh 25,624,500 from Testimony Enterprises Limited; a company that had been awarded contracts by the Kiambu County Government and which is heavily linked to the governor.
Waititu allegedly received 18,410,500 from Testimony Enterprises Limited through Saika Two Estate Developers Ltd a company he is reported to be a director and 7,214,000 through Bienvenue Delta Hotel, where the governor and his wife are also directors.
Engineer Lukas Wahinya the county Chief Officer Roads was charged with abuse of office while the county evaluation committee members faced charges of willful failure to comply with procurement laws.
While seeking their release on bail defence lawyer Tom Ojienda argued in court that the governor is a public servant and hence would not jump bail and his wife Susan Wangari Waititu lost her passport hence is not a flight risk.
The governor and his wife Susan were arrested on Sunday after surrendering themselves to EACC detectives.
