By The Weekly Vision Team
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga has ordered the Director of Press Service in Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary (OPCS) Salim Swaleh and four others to be charged with Ksh. 5.8 million in fraud. This is after the DPP declined a request by Mr Swaleh and four others to review the police file for the purposes of withdrawing the charges against them.
When the case came up for mention last week before Milimani Chief Magistrate Bernard Ochoi, Senior Prosecutor James Gachoka informed the court that he had received instructions from his boss to have the accused persons plead to the charges. “The request by the accused persons to have the police file reviewed has been declined by the DPP, who ordered that to take a plea,” said the prosecutor. The magistrate deferred the plea taking to Wednesday this week.
A week ago, Gachoka informed the court that the accused persons had written to the DPP seeking to have the criminal charges against them reviewed. Gachoka asked the court to have the plea deferred to enable the DPP to review and make the final decision on the matter. Swaleh, through his lawyer Danstan Omari, had earlier informed the court that he had written a letter to the Ingonga and adduced new evidence in the fraud allegations case for him to consider before they answer to the new charges.
On July 31, 2024, the DPP the DPP approved three charges of conspiracy to defraud, attempt to obtain money by pretences, and abuse of office against Saleh, Otieno Japolo Michael, Terry Kemunto Sese, Daniel Omondi Gogo, and John Musundi Wabomba. Swaleh is accused that on June 24, 2024, at the Prime Cabinet Secretary’s office located at Kenya Railways Headquarters within Nairobi County, being a person employed in the public service as the Director of Press Service in the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, he allowed one Otieno Japolo Michaels to hold a meeting of investors representing himself as the Chairman, Government Delivery Unit, an act which was prejudicial to the said office.
They are further charged with attempting to obtain a sum of USD 45,000, equivalent to Ksh. 5,800,000 from Nexor-Emea Engineering Consultancy Company, by falsely pretending that they were in a position to secure a tender for the construction of two stadia in Kenya. The suspects are out on cash bail ranging from Sh400,000 to Sh200,000 each.
