The former Director of Legal Services and Corporate Secretary of the Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA), Johnson Adera, who is already facing trial over a Ksh. 40.3 million bribery case, may soon encounter fresh legal battles over yet another massive scam, this time involving a public university.
At the heart of the scandal is Mount Kenya University (MKU) founder Simon Nyutu Gicharu, a close associate of Adera. Sources reveal that in 2015, Gicharu approached the Turkana County Government, seeking the allocation of community land to establish the Mount Kenya University Lodwar Campus of Science and Technology Centre. The request was granted, and the university was constructed.
However, what followed was a shocking turn of events. Shortly after the campus was established, Gicharu sold the university to Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology for a staggering Ksh. 2 billion. This transaction saw Gicharu pocket billions by selling land that originally belonged to the Turkana community, a deal mired in controversy and allegations of corruption.
The sale process was riddled with irregularities, with Adera playing a pivotal role despite being a government-employed attorney. As a legal officer for a state agency, he was receiving a non-practising allowance, which legally barred him from engaging in private legal practice. Nevertheless, he facilitated the deal, signing off on crucial documents in violation of government regulations.
Further compounding the scandal, Adera was officially on duty in Tanzania when the transaction was concluded. Sources indicate that he clandestinely returned to Kenya, oversaw the signing of the deal, and then swiftly travelled back to Tanzania, all at the taxpayers’ expense.
To reward Adera for his role in sealing the deal, Gicharu, through proxies, allegedly purchased an office suite at Commadre Suites near Yaya Centre for him at a staggering Ksh. 18 million as a ‘thank-you’ gesture.
This unfolding scandal raises serious questions about the integrity of public land transactions and the role of government officials in facilitating questionable deals for personal gain. With mounting evidence, legal experts predict that Adera and Gicharu could soon face fresh court proceedings over this blatant abuse of power and public resources.
