Kakamega County governor Fernandes Barasa is set to appear before the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission investigative panel on Monday, November 7th, 2022 to answer graft allegations during his time in office at the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO).
The former KETRACO boss is expected to record a statement on a purported fraudulent payment made to Lake Turkana Wind Power for a project in Marsabit County during his tenure as the energy regulator’s Chief Executive Officer.
“The investigation stems from a report on suspected irregularities in payment to a private investor. During the transactions, the Kakamega Governor was the chief executive officer at KETRACO”, Said a source from the anti-graft commission.
Barasa’s resignation from KETRACO in February this year sparked controversy from the National Assembly Public Investments Committee, which at the time had launched a probe into the alleged shady dealings between Kenya Power and Lake Turkana Wind Power.
In addition to trying to figure out how more than Ksh. 600 million extra was allegedly transferred to Lake Turkana Wind Power and how other millions of shillings were paid to bogus accounts, MPs questioned his resignation, which came two months before his term as Chief Executive Officer ended in April.
The Public Investment Committee was also interested in learning why the Kenya Power and Lighting Company issued the Lake Turkana Wind Power false accounts and who was responsible for them.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption have however further noted that additional information on the matter will be issued at a later time since the investigation is still in its early stages.
