Henry Rotich, Kenya’s National Treasury Cabinet Secretary and Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge pleaded not guilty to corruption charges on Tuesday relating to the Ksh 63 billion Arror and Kimwarer dams scandal.
Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti granted the duo bail on a cash surety of Ksh 15 million and Ksh 50 million bond and ordered them to stay out of their offices during the entire period of their case, following an application by Special Counsel Taib Ali Taib who is prosecuting the case for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
“The places of work of the accused persons is considered a scene of crime and they should not access them unless accompanied by the Investigating Officer,” the Magistrate ordered.
Consequently, Geoffrey Wahungu, Chief Executive Officer of the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) was freed on varied bond terms ranging from KSh750,00 to KSh50 million.
East African Community PS Susan Koech who was granted on KSh6 million bail with an option of KSh30 million bond.
As a result, the Kenyan currency depreciated by 0.5% against the dollar trading at 103.65. “Representing an acceptable 1.8% depreciation so far this year but an accelerated 4.2% loss from the mid-March high of 99.57. This comes against a backdrop of elevated market liquidity in part due to government’s payment of pending bills but also from increased government debt maturities,” said Commercial Bank of Africa Analysts.
