Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i has vetoed that Meru Senator Mithika Linturi is a suspect facing 37 criminal charges.
Senator Linturi had alleged that CS Matiang’i and the Police IG Hillary Mutyambai have been targeting him over his stand on the BBI Bill.
CS Matiang’i, appearing before the Senate Security Committee led by Acting Chairman Fred Outa on Friday, said Linturi was arrested to record a statement in regards to 37 criminal charges linked to him.
According to CS Matiang’i, Senator Linturi has been on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) radar since 2018.
He told the committee that on November 1, 2018, Emily Nkirote Buantai made a report to the DCI headquarters alleging that she was a director of Atticon Limited together with Senator Mithika Linturi holding 50 and 1050 shares respectively.
Nkirote reportedly called for probe claiming that fraudsters had forged the Board of Directors’ minutes dated April 28, 2017 and removed them from the shareholding and appointed new directors.
Matiang’i said one Collins Kipchumba Ngetich, a Director of Barons Estates Limited, on November 15, 2018 reported to the DCI alleging that sometime in June 2018, he discovered that the directors of Atticon Limited had fraudulently applied for renewal of an overdraft facility of Ksh.I00 million without his consent.
Ngetich added that upon carrying out a search at the Companies Registry, he discovered that Barons Estates Limited was fraudulently removed from the shareholding of Atticon Limited using forged documents.
“Since the two complaints revolved around the same personalities and entities, they were consolidated and an inquiry file was opened. The investigations were conducted and all persons of interest were interviewed and 26 statements recorded, documents collected and those suspected to be fraudulent, 33 in number were subjected to forensic examination and results obtained. At the close of investigations, the file was submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on 17th June, 2019 with our recommendations and findings. On the 17th June 2020 the Office of Director Public Prosecution (ODPP) returned the file and called for further investigations to be done on various issues.” Matiang’i told the committee.
The DCI once again re-submitted the file to the ODPP on January 28, 2021, who returned it on February 9 with consent to prosecute the suspects; Senator Linturi and Ms. Nkirote.
According to CS Matiang’i, the two face at least 37 counts of criminal charges among them: giving false information to a person employed in the Public Service; conspiracy to defraud; forgery; impersonation; obtaining credit by false pretence; fraudulently procuring the registration of a charge document; as well as intent to defraud.
