Jomo Gecaga’s Former PA
It has emerged that three companies owned by Jomo Gecaga’s former PA, James Muthui Kalelo, were paid a whooping Sh32, 146,218, Sh26 million and Sh17.3 million by City Hall in June 2023.
This means that Muthui got over Sh75 million within a month from City Hall.
Details at our disposal indicate that Milbo Lakes Enterprise was the one that banked the Sh32,146,218 while Mukaja Company got the Sh26million and Yehs logistics limited within the same period.
Jomo Gecaga’s former PA James Muthui who is on police radar
Our investigations and report from registerer of companies (CR12) indicates that MUKAJA GROUP LIMITED and Yehs logistics limited are owned by Mr. Muthui while MILBO LAKES ENTERPRISES is owned by MILLICENT NDINDA NGUMBI his wife who stays in Imara Daima.
Detectives tracing the payments have questioned how Muthui got such lucrative deals amounting to millions and how the procurement process leading to such payments was done.
He unsuccessfully contested the Chuluni ward seat in Kitui with reports indicating that he is often used as a proxy by powerful individuals within the state to bag multi-million tender deals both at the county governments and national government level.
Our investigations have revealed that his firms are among many others that were paid under requisition number NRB/FIN/1/2901/2023 dated on 30/06/2023.
His own payments were under voucher number 60395 for supply of hardcore to Dandora dumpsite for the Month of May 2023. The supply of the material cannot be proved to date.
Instead, there have been reports that the county is pursuing another multi-billion deal with a Chinese company that will set up an energy plant at the Dumpsite.
It is not clear why the payments were rushed for work done in May, 2023 at a time suppliers who have been at the corridors of City Hall chasing payments that have stalled for years have been ignored.
Detectives from the banking fraud unit are also investigating how the money was wired to Muthui’s NCBA account.
A senior EACC detective privy to ongoing investigations said that a lot of money has been stolen at the county while no services were not provided.
He added that no one will be spared despite efforts for state protection by some suppliers who were paid.
“We are shocked by every detail we get from City Hall, we wonder why key officials are always silent on these issues. We have invited various agencies including banking fraud and this time round the report will shock many. We have several key witnesses and several suspects will be arraigned in court.” He said
The DCI officer added that they are in possession of crucial documents including; Copies of payment vouchers, Winning bid document and copy of contract between Nairobi County and the bidder, Copies of regrets letters sent to bidders or Notices of intention to award contract.
Tender Notices as published in the website in Government tender portal and Nairobi county website, Copies of opening minutes signed by the committee members, Evaluation Report that picked the winning bid as the best evaluated bid.
“What i can assure you even if they try doctor any document, we will know the companies did not meet the threshold some crucial documents are missing from the files, they only paid because they wanted huge money to share amongst themselves .” He added
In the case of Muthui, it has emerged that he was a secretive and powerful businessman during former President Uhuru’s regime and his close ties with Jomo Gecaga have given him lucrative tenderpreneur opportunities.
He became friends with Governor Sakaja and the two worked behind the scenes to lobby support for Uhuru Kenyatta.
He is not a surprise figure in the corridors of City Hall and his two companies, according to our sources could still be chasing other big payments from Governor Sakaja’s administration.
Another company that is on police radder includes BECAL company that was paid Sh16m.
The company is owned by a Muslim lady tycoon commonly known to many as Hawa who is a notorious supplier who, according to detectives is regularly paid millions for work that cannot be authenticated.
Both Muthui and the muslim lady are on police radar with the former under lifestyle probe and other possible illegal activities.
Muthui is also being investigated for tax evasion with Kenya Revenue Authority probing operations of his companies in tax remission.
He owns a multi-million club in Kitui town which has previously been under probe for money laundering and drug related activities.
James Kalelo Muthui who was paid millions for supplying hot air
The development comes at a time when the Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin has publicly questioned how nine other companies were paid millions without proper procedure.
The DCI through the head of Investigations Bureau at the DCI headquarters David Birech, wrote to Sakaja demanding a list of tender documents, issued to nine companies suspected to have been used to siphon millions from City Hall.
The nine companies are Brigit West Limited, Future Link Limited, AR Pharmaceuticals Limited, Larsen Investment Company, Burasha General Suppliers Limited, Tweem Limited, Cloud Mobile Technologies Limited, Istanbul Investment Limited and Ramecon Engineering Limited.
The Documents under investigation include; requisitions by user department, award contracts, delivery and inspection reports and all local purchase orders.
The over Sh58 Million payments made to MILBO LAKES ENTERPRISE and MUKAJA company owned by Muthui complicates matters for Governor Sakaja and Finance Chief Officer Asha Abdi who have been blamed for ignoring advice from heads of departments.
The development also means that City Hall will be a bee hive of investigative activities from EACC and DCI who are under instructions to get to the bottom of the matter.
The county is already battling separate allegations of paying Sh1.4 billion to legal firms despite an advice from the legal department and County Attorney to only pay Sh60 million owed to law firms whose work can be verified.
The revelations led to the sacking of County Attoney Lydia Kwamboka who had also told the Nairobi County Assembly legal committee that key files had been stolen from her office and suspected payments made to unknown firms.
