The Chief Security Officer at the East African Development Bank (EADB), Isaac Nyongesa Okwara, is accused of misleading investigators from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in a case involving former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju and a Ksh 4 billion loan dispute. The warrant was issued following Okwara’s repeated failure to appear before the court despite being summoned to answer these serious allegations
A Nairobi court has issued a warrant of arrest for Isaac Nyongesa Okwara, the Chief Security Officer at the East African Development Bank (EADB), for failing to appear in court to respond to charges of providing false information.
Okwara is accused of misleading investigators from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in a case involving former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju and a Ksh 4 billion loan dispute. The warrant was issued following Okwara’s repeated failure to appear before the court despite being summoned to answer the serious allegations.
The charge stems from an investigation conducted in August 2023, during which Okwara allegedly provided false information to DCI officers, leading to a criminal inquiry into former CS Tuju.
According to the charges, Okwara’s actions misled police officers, including Inspector Duncan Maina, prompting a criminal investigation against Tuju over alleged fraudulent activities linked to a mortgaged property dispute. The investigation remains central to a broader legal battle with significant implications for all involved parties.
Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego issued the arrest warrant yesterday after Okwara failed to appear in court to face the charge of providing false information.
However, the magistrate suspended the order for 24 hours, allowing Okwara’s legal team, led by Senior Counsel Fred Ojiambo, to present a High Court order issued by Justice Chacha Mwita, which temporarily halts his prosecution. Ojiambo informed the court that Okwara was currently in Uganda, having left Kenya on 23rd January 2025.
He claimed that a High Court order had been issued earlier in the day suspending Okwara’s prosecution and urged the court to halt further proceedings.
However, the prosecution, led by State Counsel James Gachoka, contended that Okwara had been properly served with court summons to appear on 28th January 2025 and that no official documentation supporting the High Court order had been presented.
Gachoka insisted that the arrest warrant should be upheld due to Okwara’s failure to attend court and his lack of legitimate justification for his absence.
Following the proceedings, former Cabinet Secretary Tuju, at the centre of the dispute with EADB, commended the judiciary for its handling of the matter.
Speaking to journalists outside the Milimani Law Courts, Tuju expressed his appreciation for the court’s firm stance against the senior bank official.
“I would like to congratulate the court for not being intimidated and for issuing a warrant of arrest against Okwara. He and the EADB are charged with the offence of lying about me, my children, and two of my companies. They have lied so frequently that even they forget their previous lies,” Tuju stated.
He went on to criticise Ojiambo’s conduct, noting that despite the senior counsel’s reputation, he was currently facing accusations at the Advocates Complaints Commission for allegedly procuring false affidavits.
Tuju further alleged that an EADB manager had recanted affidavits filed against him in court, exposing what he described as a “web of lies” involving the bank.
“The lies they fed to the DCI are the same lies they presented in court, leading to unfair rulings against me. The Supreme Court ruled against me in the KSh 1.5 billion loan case based on these falsehoods—falsehoods that some individuals are now facing criminal charges for,” Tuju continued.
As a response to these legal challenges, Tuju announced the formation of the Land Protection Forum (LPF), a platform aimed at assisting Kenyans facing land fraud.
“I am providing a WhatsApp number (0708293936) for any Kenyan at risk of losing their hard-earned family land or property due to corruption. Anyone facing such a threat can contact the forum to share their ordeal, and where possible, I will do my best to assist—particularly widows and orphans who are most vulnerable,” Tuju stated.
The ongoing legal battle centres around allegations that Tuju unlawfully transferred mortgaged property and obtained funds fraudulently.
Tuju has consistently denied the accusations, maintaining that the evidence against him was fabricated. He has accused powerful individuals and institutions, including EADB, of attempting to manipulate the judiciary for personal gain.
He asserted that the entire legal process had been tainted by falsified documents and fake affidavits used to support the accusations against him.
Tuju also reflected on the personal toll of these legal battles.
He recounted how, during a life-threatening accident in 2020, auctioneers from EADB attempted to seize his properties despite lacking legitimate grounds.
“Had I not survived the accident, my children and family would have been left displaced, with their property stolen through fraudulent means,” Tuju said, underscoring the depth of the alleged fraud.
He urged the public to join him in the fight against land and property theft, particularly targeting vulnerable individuals who often fall victim to judicial and legal manipulation.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Tuju remarked, adding that his personal ordeal was part of a much larger issue affecting ordinary Kenyans.
He called on the judiciary to remain steadfast in upholding justice and resisting corruption, emphasising that despite existing challenges, Kenya’s legal system still has principled officials.
“If this can happen to me—a former Cabinet Secretary with the resources to fight this battle—what about the ordinary Kenyan with no means to defend themselves?” Tuju questioned.
