Haji Approves Arrest And Charges Against Ex-KPA MD Manduku After DCI Probe On Sh244M Graft

Former KPA MD Daniel Manduku who has been facing a myriad of corruption related allegations will finally have his day in court this is after DPP Haji approved the charges against him following a lengthy probe by the DCI.

The DCI had previously said that he had listed up to 22 possible charges against Mr Manduku and other senior port managers over alleged irregularities in projects.

However, what is taking Mr Manduku to court is the awarding of two companies linked to powerful and influential families to construct peripheral cargo storage facilities on behalf of the KPA next to the ICD.

The second accused in the case is the Commissioner of Customs and Border Control at the Kenya Revenue Authority Kevin Safari.

One of the companies that was awarded the controversial tender, the Nairobi Inland Container Terminal Limited (NICT) did not even apply for the tender which was floated towards the end of 2018 in the first place.

The second company — Mitchell Cotts Freight Limited — did not pay for the licence required to operate a peripheral storage facility and only did so realising the DCI had started investigations of how the tender was awarded.

“Daniel Ogwoka Manduku and Kevin Lewis Safari between December 31, 2019 and January 27, 2020 within the Republic of Kenya conspired to defeat justice by causing the payment of Sh3,166,669 for the KPA peripheral facility licence for Mitchell Cotts Freight Kenya Limited in order to correct an illegality in the unpayment of the same,” says count five in the charge sheet.

According to the probe by the DCI, Manduku irregularly awarded tenders and that there was no prior planning before engaging in the project for the manufacture of the concrete barriers.

DCI accuses Manduku of flouting the procurement rules by handpicking 10 firms that he awarded the tenders for manufacturing the concrete barriers.

Juma Fadhili Chigulu a works officer in KPA, has been co accused with Manduku for approving the payments to the manufacturer of concrete barriers.

DCI probe established that KPA made an overpayment of Sh244,837,908.59 to contractors for work not completed. Haji says the evidence is sufficient to successfully prosecute the case and has given it a go ahead.

Manduku and co accused are to be arrested and arraigned in court.