MACHAKOS Governor Alfred Mutua has twice been interrogated and recorded a statement with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission over corruption allegations in his county government.
Mutua was interviewed by EACC detectives outside the agency’s headquarters Integrity Centre in mid-August. EACC spokesman Yassin Amaro said investigations based on the special audit report on Mutua’s administration and the five local authorities are ongoing.
The EACC summoned Mutua to appear before them on June 17, 2014, but Mutua wrote back on June 23 claiming the matter was political and being instigated by his nemesis Senator Johnstone Muthama.
On July 1, the commission wrote back, denying his claims, after which Mutua announced that he would not honour summonses to appear at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission offices to be grilled over allegations of irregular purchase of 16 vehicles by his government.
Ironically, EACC has also charged Muthama and others in the Malili Ranch saga, where they are accused of obtaining millions of shillings in the transaction to purchase land for the construction of Konza City.
Shortly after Mutua made the claims, EACC, through Yassin Amaro, dismissed them. “The Commission wishes to assure Governor Dr. Alfred Mutua that his apparent political opponent Senator Muthama has no capacity to direct or influence investigations or any action by the commission,” Amaro said.
Mutua then went to court, challenging EACC’s intention to interrogate him, but the commission told the High Court that the Machakos Governor must be grilled over fraud allegations.
EACC, in an affidavit filed at the High Court, said, it is important that Mutua is interviewed and records a statement so that he can counter the overwhelming evidence implicating him in the procurement of 16 county vehicles.
Mutua moved to court seeking to bar the EACC from summoning him, saying the agency wants to question him over things that do not relate to him. He also sought orders to bar the Director of Public Prosecutions from apprehending or preferring criminal charges against him.
– the-star.co.ke
