The Commission said it found no evidence to support the allegations and has therefore recommended that the probe file be closed.
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 22 – The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Keriako Tobiko has cleared Siaya Senator James Orengo of graft investigations following recommendations by the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC).
The EACC was investigating allegations that Orengo irregularly allocated himself a piece of land along Ring Road, Westlands. Orengo, through his lawyer Betty Murungi, came out to clarify that the land was an inheritance from his late father.
The Commission said it found no evidence to support the allegations and has therefore recommended that the probe file be closed.
“EACC recommendation to close file to lack for evidence accepted. File ordered closed,” Tobiko said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the DPP will not make a decision whether or not to charge Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua over corruption until after an application filed by the governor in court is determined.
Mutua moved to court to block the EACC from among others, preferring any criminal charges against him over allegations involving procurement of motor vehicles in the county.
The Anti Corruption commission has submitted a file after investigating allegations of irregular procurement of pre-used 15 Subaru Outback vehicles and one Toyota Cruiser via single sourcing.
A joint statement by DPP and the EACC says Tobiko has accepted recommendations to charge members of the Interim Tender Committee, but he will not make a decision whether to accept a proposal to charge the Governor until after the court petition.
“A decision whether or not to charge the governor be deferred to await the outcome of the petition. The petitions be set down for hearing without delay,” he asserted.
The Joint statement further said that files of Cabinet Secretaries and Principle Secretaries named in the list of corruption were on final touches.
“Investigations in respect of Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries are in the tail end of finalization and will be submitted to the DPP in due course for consideration and direction,” EACC Chief Executive Officer Halakhe Waqo and Tobiko said.
On March 26, President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered EACC and the ODPP to finalise on the list of 175 named in the corruption list within 60 days.
READ: 5 Cabinet Secretaries, 12 Governors in EACC graft list
The 60 days will end on Tuesday next week.
Waqo on Thursday said he was positive that the investigations were progressing well and it was likely that they would be done within the timelines set by the president.
The 175 cases are being handled by a multi-agency team comprising of officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), ODPP and the EACC.
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