Renowned Nairobi businessman, linked to the National Youth Service (NYS) scandal is guilty of using forged papers to win a KShs. 105 million IEBC tender.
Mr. Benson Gethi, who is charged alongside a relative, was on Monday found guilty of forging papers to supply solar lanterns to IEBC for use in the 2013 General Election.
The anti-corruption Chief Magistrate convicted Mr Gethi and the relative, Joyce Makena, on two counts of forging a tax compliance certificate from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and presenting it to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to win the tender.
The magistrate were IEBC’s Gabriel Mutunga (procurement officer) and Willy Gachanja Kamanga (procurement manager) who were found guilty for failing to safeguard procurement documents. Other IEBC officials Adan Adano and Abdi Etema Ali were acquitted of the case because they were not linked to the graft.
Mr Gethi in his defence claimed that the company used to apply for the tender, was formed by his cousin in 2008, and he was asked to be a director. He told the court that he never participated in the tender or visited the IEBC offices in Nairobi.
It is alleged that the accused working under Solarmak Technologies colluded with IEBC officials to alter the tender documents. The company was contracted to supply 30,000 solar lanterns to IEBC but it was challenged before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board.
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