Witness claims they send Governor Mutai Money under duress

BY ERIC ABUGA

The County Assembly of Kericho has accused Governor Eric Mutai of using his office to harass and humiliate employees often demanding favors in return of the officers to keep their jobs.

In its case against the Governor, two former employees of the devolved unit, told the Senate plenary that the County Chief had frequently forced them to contribute money for his fundraisers and other unexplained emergency situations in the course of his duties as the Governor.

Ms Edna Tanui, who was appointed and dismissed as a Member of the County Executive Committee, told the Senate that she had, in two years, cumulatively contributed a total of Sh1.5 million to the Governor’s alleged insatiable demand for money for the duration she served as a CEC.

Ms. Tanui and other CECs were dismissed by the Governor on December 23, 2024, through a post on his official Facebook page.

While the County Chief did not give reasons for the sackings, merely stating that it was a reorganization of his administration, Ms Tanui told the House that she suspected that she was fired because of her failure to contribute to the Governor’s constant demand for money from her.

“I have never known why the Governor sacked me. I suspect I had to go because I refused to support him in his fundraisers,” she said while giving her evidence in chief.

Ms Edina Tunai (Courtesy)

She told lawmakers that until her dismissal she had sent to the Governor more than Sh1.5 million from her own personal savings.

However, evidence submitted to the House by the County Assemblies shows that only Sh300,000 was deposited directly to the Governor’s MPesa account on his mobile number.

Pressed by Senators and the Governors lawyers, the witness was at pains to explain how the difference of Sh1.2 million was given to the Governor as there was no evidence in the bundles of evidence submitted to support the claim.

But she stuck to her gains, insisting that she had dispatched the money in cash through the Personal Aides of the Governor, who she identified as Robinson Kiplagat and Renny Kipsang Ngetich

“If given a chance, I can produce conversations with the Governor leading to the Sh1.2 million,” she said, even though she admitted that the process will include a court process to compel Safaricom to provide the call logs of the phone conversations.

“He would call and demand that he wanted money and go ahead to quote the figure,” she said, most of the time she rebuffed the requests. But the Governor was adamant. “He would push me to get anything, even as low as Sh10,000 and send to him or deposit in the account of any other person he directed me to.

Documents presented to the House by the Assembly indicate that a Mr Paul Misik deposited Sh50,000 to the witness’ mpesa account, Ms Janet Koech deposited Sh10,000, Beatrice Kiptanui Sh10,000 among other transactions.

Senator Danson Mungatana challenged the witness to explain the disparity between the Sh300,000 and the Sh1.2 million arguing that her testimony did not sufficiently justify the claim of the Sh1.5 million she claims she sent to the Governor.

“How was the money given?” he asked, adding that the witness should have planned to explain the difference in a manner that would convinced the House.

Senator Okongo Omogeni wanted to know the identity of the individuals who deposited money in Ms Tanui’s Mpesa account and which was forwarded to the Governor. He also wanted to know whether they deposited the money to her account so that she could forward to the Governor.

Advocate Katwa Kigen (Courtesy)

Senator Okiya Omtatah wondered why the witness did not report to the Governor to the State’s investigative agencies.

Senator Godfrey Osotsi suggested that the Money could be proceeds of corruption and challenged the witness to explain its source.

Responding to the concerns from the lawmakers, Ms Tanui insisted that she contributed the money and could prove the claims given time to get her statements from the Safaricom. On the huge transactions through her Mpesa account, she argued she runs a string of businesses including farming whose proceeds are transacted through her Mpesa account.

“I have only one number and all my personal and business transactions go through my Safaricom line,” she said, adding that one of the transactions flagged by Senator Omogeni was her uncle. “I had lent him money and in the transaction, you are citing he was repaying the loan.”

Mr Kipngeno Bett, who was the first County Assembly witness to take the stand, told the House that the Governor had the habit of calling him and demanding the money.

“I sent him money many times after he called demanding the money. I don’t know where he expected me to get the money from,” said Mr Bett who had served as a chief officer in the county Executive before he was dismissed.

He said that the Governor had once humiliated him right in front of his family.

“He called and said I am an ungrateful person because I could not send him little money he was asking.”

The two witnesses told the House that the money they sent the Governor was raised from their personal savings and businesses.

Asked by lawyer Elias Mutuma of the County Assembly whether he was under obligation to send the money, Mr Bett said there was none, but he had to send the money to save himself from the Governor’s oftentimes disparaging remarks on him.

The third witness Alfred Mutai Korir defended the integrity of the digital system used for voting at the County Assembly. He said it was tamperproof, and no unauthorized person could access it.