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Courts ‘weak link’ in graft fight, governance summit hears

He said if the Anti-Corruption unit established in the Judiciary had the proper capacity delays in handling of such cases would reduce.

US Ambassador Robert Godec, who was among many envoys who attended the summit, said Kenya can follow the example of the US which uses strike forces – composed of investigators and prosecutors – to fast track corruption cases.

The culture of high profile individuals falling back to their party supporters and tribesmen to declare their innocence was another challenge Waqo said interfered with the justice process.

Assets Recovery Agency Director Muthoni Kimani said she had faced threats including petitions intended to overshadow her asset recovery role as well as intimidate her.

On the National Youth Service (NYS) scandal, Tobiko said two cases involving Sh791 and Sh695 million and secondly on money laundering were at an advanced stage of hearing.

Kimani confirmed that assets and bank accounts involved in the NYS scam had also been frozen even as the investigations and cases progressed.

The summit on Tuesday heard that about Sh450 million had been frozen.

Waqo defended alleged delays in investigations into the NYS saga saying it was a complex and lengthy affair that apart from uncovering the loss of Sh791 million, had discovered that the amount in question had increased to Sh1.8 billion and was likely to lead to detection of more money.

“Investigation is not just a free walk to town or a walk in the park where you think a mention of something which came in the morning is concluded in the evening or in the following day. If not frustrating, it is a very difficult process that one goes through.”

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Muhoro also regretted that the corruption fight was not solely on government agencies but also a responsibility of other stakeholders to raise a red flag whenever they sense irregularities that could be indicators of corruption.

He criticised a bank which handled the NYS money for not invoking the Money Laundering Act to report the irregular transaction.

Heated as the debate was, the government’s top critics, John Githongo and David Ndii failed to honor Tuesday’s invitation.

Muigai summarised Githongo’s allegations that the Jubilee Administration was the most corrupt regime as ‘melodramatic’ as he wondered why the pair had failed to show up to table evidence in support of their recurrent allegations.

President Uhuru Kenyatta who later joined the summit ordered the government agencies to perform their duties since they had the necessary resources and powers to carry out their duties as desired by Kenyans.

“When I am in Machakos, I am going to release all the chicken thieves so there will be room in jail for the ones you want to bring. There will be space. All you need to do is bring them. The cases are before you,” he said as he asked Justice Kihara to say if there was anything he had lacked to perform his work.

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