A procurement officer at Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) was put on the spot over wealth he reportedly amassed from bribes and kickbacks.
According to the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC), the officer identified as Peter Maina Njehia acquired 40 developed homes in Nakuru, Nyandarua and Nairobi counties.
He also acquired eight luxurious vehicles, agricultural farms and had KSh 76 million in his bank accounts and over KSh 64 million held in share deposits in Unaitas and Stima SACCOs.
“An analysis of the preliminary investigations has raised reasonable suspicion that considering respondent’s salary, large and frequent deposits into his accounts, shares and in his SACCO account are disproportionate to his legitimate known sources of income and could have been obtained through corruption,” EACC said.
EACC established that Njehia worked with his close associates and his proxy companies to engage in corruption and amassed the wealth through contracts.
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“The Respondent (Njehia) has illegally and irregularly engaged in the influence and award of tenders, procurement and payment for goods and services which has seen him abuse his office, receive bribes, embezzle public funds and engage in corrupt conduct,” EACC said in documents filed in court.
The Commission is also investigating Njehia’s close family members, including his spouse; Julie Hellen Matu together with companies and properties associated with them.
EACC noted that Njehia amassed the wealth over a 11-year period yet he earned a monthly pay of approximately KSh 265,000 within the same period.
“The Respondent has in the period between February 2010 and March 2021 earned a net salary of KSh 35,764,757.92 and a total of KSh 4,478,098.07 in his imprest account for the same period of employment. It is suspected that the proceeds of corruption have been channelled into the SACCO accounts listed herein,” EACC argued.
On Tuesday, November 30, 2021, EACC obtained a court order for freezing assets owned by Njehia as investigations into the matter continue.
The frozen assets include;
- KSh 13,557,385.00 being held as share capital in Stima Sacco Society Limited in the name of Peter Maina Njehia.
- KSh 11,913,750.94 being held as Alpha deposit in Stima Sacco Limited in the name of Peter Maina Njehia.
- KSh 10,000,010.00 held in the shares in Unaitas Sacco Limited in the name of Peter Maina Njehia.
- KSh 8,200,010.00 held in the shares account old system in Unaitas Sacco Mununga in the name of Peter Maina Njehia.
- KSh 7,000,000.00 held in the shares account old system held in Unaitas Sacco Limited in the name of Julie Hellen Matu.
- KSh 7,000,000.00 held in the shares account new system held in Unaitas Sacco Limited in the name of Julie Hellen Matu.
- KSh 930,760.00 held in the dividend account new system held in Unaitas Sacco Limited in the name of Julie Hellen Matu.
Njehia holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts degrees from Egerton University, a Post Graduate diploma in Supply Chain Management from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology as well as a professional Procurement and Supply Management Diploma (CIPS).
He has previously worked as the Head of Supply Chain at the Laikipia University and Head of Supply Chain Management at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and as a Procurement Officer at Egerton University.
