Taking to his official X account on Sunday, July 21, 2024, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) lawmaker said Eric Kipkirui Mutai should be made a state witness.
According to Kaluma, there is no way the office cleaner could strike such a multi-million deal.
He says Mutai was only a proxy in this case, and that the state should go after the real thief.
No Way!
This was a clear proxy.
Please charge the real thief and make him witness.
Let’s fight corruption with all our might for it denies us our livelihood and dignity! https://t.co/413EWQ64HU— Hon. George Peter Kaluma, CBS. MP. (@gpdkaluma) July 21, 2024
Mutai and his bosses were on Friday charged with corruptly receiving Ksh301.9 million from the State Department for Correctional Services for “supplying air”.
68 corruption charges
They, however, denied 68 corruption charges of conspiracy to commit an economic crime, abuse of office and money laundering.
Mutai was charged alongside assistant director of supply chain management services, Mageto Omari Mireiri, chief finance officer Sarah Kemunto, principal accountant Joseph Kamau, accountant Moses Juma Sirengo and businesswoman Maureen Ndungwa Mwikya, the director of Reen East Africa Company.
Mutai’s companies
Mutai who has worked for seven years at the State Department for correctional services under the Ministry of Interior as a cleaner, is a director of three companies, namely Homes Logistics Enterprise, Hygienic Ventures, and Unique Supplies Limitedi.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 18, 2024, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said its officers had arrested Mutai, who reportedly owns seven companies that received Ksh257 million despite not supplying anything to the prison stations.
“Among the arrested suspects is one Eric Kipkirui Mutai, a cleaner at the State Department, who owns 7 companies that received Ksh257 million of the stolen amount. The suspects are currently detained at Kilimani Police Station pending arraignment tomorrow, 9:00 am,” EACC stated.
Their arrests came as a result of a probe being conducted at the department over the provision of food rations to various prison facilities.
The fraud suspects were accused of embezzling millions while purporting to supply prisons all over the country with food.