“We were forced to frame DP Gachagua in KES 7.3 billion graft case” – DCI investigator confesses

DCI investigator Kuriah Obadiah has said former DCI boss George Kinoti made them fabricate charges against the then Mathira MP and noe Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in the KES 7.3 billion case.

Kuriah claims in an explosive four page affidavit that they were given strict instructions and fixed timelines to rush investigations against DP Gachagua despite the lack of satisfactory evidence.

According to Kuriah, while the investigations were still ongoing, Kinoti directed Obadiah and his team to make recommendations that would result in the arrest of DP Rigathi Gachagua.

“Due to pressure from our boss, we were not able to cover crucial areas of the investigations that would have shed some light on the case,” Kuriah said in the affidavit.

Kuriah also stated that continuing with the case would be detrimental to the prosecution because the investigating team overlooked some of the critical areas.

The Nairobi anti-corruption court gave prosecutors three weeks to review the KES 7.3 billion graft allegations filed against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and nine others on October 17, 2022.

Milimani anti-corruption magistrate Victor Wakumile granted the DPP’s request to postpone the hearings so that prosecutors could conduct an investigation before deciding whether to proceed with Gachagua’s trial.

Between 2013 and 2020, the former Mathira MP is accused of defrauding the government of Ksh 7.4 billion through government business operations.

He faces six counts of corruption conspiracy, fraudulent acquisition of public property, conflict of interest, money laundering, and acquiring proceeds of crime.

Gachagua, former Mathira CDF manager William Mwangi Wahome, Ann Nduta Ruo, Julianne Jahenda Makaa, and Samuel Murimi Ireri, Grace Wambui Kariuki, Lawrence Kimaru, Irene Wambui Ndigiriri, David Reuben Nyangi Nguru, and Rapid Medical Supplies Ltd. have all been charged in the case.

The case is scheduled to be heard on withdrawal directions on November 21, 2022.