By ADEN KIPRUTO
Former Sports Principal Secretary Ambassador Peter Kirimi Kaberia has been arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court alongside five other former senior officials over alleged graft involving Sh330.57 million meant to facilitate preparations for the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Kaberia and the other accused persons — former Senior Principal Finance Officer Stephen Njoroge Muthuma, former Principal Accountant Enock Onditi Ondwari, former Senior Superintendent Engineer at Sports Kenya John Kiende Ruga, Anthony Mwangi Kimathi (former employee of Instalaciones Inabensa, S.A) and Samuel MbaeNjoroge (Tax Advisor and Partner, Taxwise Africa Consulting LLP) -were produced before Milimani Anti-Corruption Court magistrate Isabella Barasa, where they denied the charges.
Four other suspects, Harun Komen Chebet (Former Director, Administration, State Department for Sports Development), Marcos Gonzalez Puente (Director, Aditel IngenieriaS Services), Kitheka Muema (former audit Committee member, Footbal Kenya Federation ) and Ephraim Muchangi Kinyua (Automobile Business Consultant) are still at large.
The accused persons are facing charges including conspiracy to commit an economic crime, abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property, failure to comply with procurement laws and acquisition of proceeds of crime.
The charges arise from investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) into the alleged irregular payment of Sh330.57 million to Auditel Kenya as an advance payment under a tender issued in preparation for CHAN 2018.
The tender involved the design, supply, testing, commissioning and supervision of security, access-control, communication, audiovisual and pitch-lighting systems at stadiums that had been selected to host the continental tournament.
Kenya had been preparing to host the fifth edition of CHAN in 2018, with several stadiums earmarked for renovation and upgrading ahead of the tournament.
According to court documents, the tender awarded in 2017 to Auditel , a Spanish company registered in Kenya was valued at more than Sh1.6 billion, with the Sh330.57 million payment representing an advance made under the contract.
The EACC alleges that the procurement process was irregular and that the advance payment was made without the required safeguards and documentation.
The anti-graft agency further alleges that no work was ultimately carried out under the contract despite the payment, resulting in the loss of public funds.
The investigations also focused on the circumstances surrounding the award of the tender and the manner in which the advance payment was authorised.
The case is linked to wider investigations into Kenya’s preparations for CHAN 2018, including contracts awarded for the upgrading and equipping of stadiums ahead of the tournament.
At the time, Kaberia served as Principal Secretary in the State Department for Sports and was among officials involved in the government’s preparations for the championship. A 2017 Kenya Gazette notice listed him among members of the steering committee for CHAN 2018.
The EACC has alleged that the contract was awarded through a procurement process that breached public procurement requirements and that the government did not receive value for the money paid.
The anti-graft agency has previously sought recovery of the Sh330.57 million, alleging that the funds were paid despite the contracted systems not being delivered.
The accused persons, however, denied all the allegations when they appeared before Magistrate Barasa.
Through their defence lawyers Assah Nyakundi, Mwaura Kabate, Ndegwa Njiru and Omwansa Nyamweya, the accused pleaded with the court to release them on lenient cash bail or bond, arguing that they had demonstrated that they were not flight risks.
The court subsequently ordered Kaberia to deposit a cash bail of Sh1 million or an alternative bond of Sh2 million, with one surety, to secure his release pending trial.
The other accused persons were each ordered to deposit a cash bail of Sh600,000 or provide a bond of Sh3 million, together with one surety.
The court further directed all the accused persons to surrender their travel documents within seven days as part of the conditions for their release.
Magistrate Barasa also issued summons to be served on other accused persons who did not attend court.
The case will be mentioned on September 15, 2026, to confirm compliance with the bail conditions and give further directions on the matter.
