Former Tourism CS Balala Charged For Corruption

Former Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has been released on a Ksh 5 million bond or Ksh 1million cash bail after pleading not guilty.

Balala and his co-accused denied all the 10 counts of alleged corruption deals related to a Ksh 8.5 billion for the construction of the Multi Billion Ronald Ngalla Utalii College.

Balala who appeared before Malindi Chief Magistrate Joseph Mwaniki was charged alongside his former Principal Secretary Leah Gwiyo and 82 year old Joseph Odero.

The Court also ordered Odero to be released on a Ksh 3 million bond with a surety of a similar amount or Ksh 800,000.

Those facing the charges are 17 but only the three had been nabbed though the ODPP told the court that two had been arrested and asked the court to issue summons against the others.

Balala and the two arrived at the Malindi Law Courts in Government vehicles, a Pajero and Ford and there was heavy security guarding the premises.

In the first count, Balala and Gwiyo were charged that on December 13 2010 within Mombasa County being the Minister and PS respectively in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife jointly used their offices to improperly confer a benefit to baseline Architects Limited Ujenzi consultants, Armitech Consulting Engineering and West consult consulting Engineers by resolving to engage private consultants against a Cabinet decision which led to the irregular payment of Ksh 3.368,494,779.63 paid to the said firms.

The Payment was reportedly done in respect of request for proposal number CDTLT/003/2011-2012 for consultancy services for the design documentation supervision and contract management of the proposed Ronald Ngala Utalii College (RNUC).

On the Second count, the former CS and PS were charged that between July 1^st 2012 and June 30^th 2013 of catering Tourism and Development Levy Trustees offices within Nairobi County.

The Court also issued summons for those suspects still at large and set the case for mention on December 28