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Mudavadi takes witness stand in Anglo-Leasing case

Mudavadi took the witness  stand  in the case involving former Finance Minister and now Kisii County Senator Chris Obure, former Postmaster General Francis Chahonyo, former Financial Secretary Samuel Bundotich and former Permanent Secretary Sammy Kyungu/CFM

Mudavadi took the witness stand in the case involving former Finance Minister and now Kisii County Senator Chris Obure, former Postmaster General Francis Chahonyo, former Financial Secretary Samuel Bundotich and former Permanent Secretary Sammy Kyungu/CFM

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 21 — Former Transport and Communication  Minister Musalia  Mudavadi  on Wednesday told the anti-corruption court that he did not believe that four former senior  government officials were guilty of fraud in the Sh10 billion Anglo-Leasing case.

Mudavadi who took the witness  stand  in the case involving former Finance Minister and now Kisii County Senator Chris Obure, former Postmaster General Francis Chahonyo, former Financial Secretary Samuel Bundotich and former Permanent Secretary Sammy Kyungu  testified that  based on  the  documentation that  was  availed to him, they did nothing arbitrary.

During cross-examination by defense lawyers Kioko Kilukumi and Chacha Odera, Mudavadi told the anti-corruption court that “based on all the documentation one cannot say their actions were arbitrary as the laid down procedures were followed.”

The ex- minister said the four did not make a personal decision in awarding the contracts as they were satisfied with the necessary information and documentation required before doing so.

“Minister Obure at the time, authorised payment after being satisfied with information he had sought from my Ministry and cannot therefore be said  to have  acted arbitrarily,’’ he added.

The former senior government officials have since denied conspiring to defraud the government of Sh10 billion by awarding the Anglo-Leasing contracts.

The politician denied having played a key role in a contract entered into between the Government of Kenya and two US companies for supply of internet services in 2002 beyond signing letters to facilitate awarding of the controversial contracts.

It was his testimony that he never interacted with Spacenet and Mercantile companies but admitted to signing letters seeking support from the Ministry of Finance after he received information that the Postal Corporation, a parastatal under his Ministry required new technology to improve its services.

Chahonyo and Kyungu are alleged to have initiated the procurement in a network of operations executed between March and July 2002 for which Obure authorised the payments while Bundotich made the payments.

Obure faces two counts of abuse of office and breach of trust by authorising the Ministry of Transport to directly procure VSAT equipment from Spacenet Inc for the Postal Corporation of Kenya without following procurement procedures.

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Chahonyo and Kyungu faced similar charges of abuse of office and breach of trust.

They are alleged to have initiated the procurement of VSAT equipment from the foreign companies without following procurement laws.

Hearing continues.

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