A witness in the case where former Murang’a governor Mwangi Wa Iria has been charged with corruption has defended the awarding of a media and publicity tender to a firm linked to Wa Iria’s wife.
James Kamau Kairu who was a former procurement officer in Murang’a County told a Nairobi court that the procurement process for the media buying services under wa Iria’s tenure.
In the case, the DPP has charged Wa Iria with corruption where it was alleged that he colluded with his wife Jane Waigwe to defraud the County Government millions of shillings by falsely claiming to provide media services via Top Image Consultancy Limited for two years.
The court heard from Kairu’s testimony how a Sh 543 million tender for media and publicity services was awarded to the company allegedly linked to Wa Iria’s wife.
Kairu told Milimani Chief Magistrate Harrison Barasa that the county government, led by Wa Iria, gave the media advertising tender to Top Image Media Consultancy Limited.
The court heard that the county government solely awarded media buying tenders worth Sh 542,610,615.15 out of all companies prequalified between financial years 2013/2014 and 2016/2017
However, Kairu was quick to point out that all procedures were followed lawfully and within the regulatory framework while procuring and awarding the tender for media buying services for the fiscal years 2014–2015 and 2015–2016.
The former county boss has been accused of improper procurement practices while claiming that public funds were misappropriated.
