Nairobi’s Makongeni MCA and Minority whip Peter Imwatok is alleged to have influenced the finance department at City Hall to pay lawyer Tom Ojienda shs 50 million in legal fees.
Insiders say Imwatok had a cut in the money and pushed for City Hall to pay the cash.
The EACC through its deputy director, forensic Investigations John Lolkoloi has written to City Hall to explain some of the payments.
The letter was received at City Hall on 26th March 2021.
Erick Odhiambo Abwao , Violet Oyangi and David Oseko from the County legal department have been summoned by the EACC to record statements on the payments.
“The commission is carrying out investigations into allegations of irregular payment of legal fees by the Nairobi City County. To facilitate our investigations, kindly inform the following officers to avail themselves for interview and statement recording on the dates and time indicated below,” said the EACC letter addressed to the County secretary.
The EACC requested original payments vouchers in respect to the payments made to:
Professors Tom Ojienda and Associates Misc Appli No 2 of 2016 (Prof Tom Ojienda and Associates Vs Nairobi City County)
Prof Tom Ojienda and associates Petition No. 274 of 2014 (Karen &Langata District Association Vs Nairobi City County).
City Hall insiders say the Apartment is along Lang’ata road.
Imwatok could not be reached for comment as he did not answer calls.
The payments were reportedly made against orders of Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) boss Major General Mohammed Badi and the Deputy Governor Anne Kananu.
Badi and Kananu were pushing for the County to pay contractors pending bills in form of development.
But Imwatok reportedly threatened to push for the impeachment of the County finance team if they did not pay Ojienda.
After being intimidated and successfully arm-twisted, they obliged and paid the city lawyer.
Last week, Imwatok sensationally claimed that City Hall had paid at least 6 contractors a total of shs 550 million at the expense of other small contractors.
However, one of the contractors said that Imwatok was engaging in “ethnic profiling” by singling out the ethnicity of the contractors.
The contractors vowed to fight back.
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