CS Monica Juma Archives

Monica Juma-led Ministry of defence has finally spoken on the ongoing investigations into a fake military tender in which former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa is highly involved.

The ministry on Monday sent a statement to newsrooms distancing itself from the Ksh 40 billion deal allegedly procured by Echesa from Deputy President William Ruto’s office.

In a statement signed by the Ministry’s head of communication Bogita Ongeri, the ministry confirmed that indeed investigators and complainants in the saga on Monday visited its headquarters at Ulinzi House to ascertain the officers and offices they allegedly accessed.

“During the visit it was established that the complainants have never interacted with any official mandated to represent the Ministry of Defence. The visit further revealed that the complainants have never been to (Ulinzi House), the Ministry of Defence Headquarters as has been alleged,” the statement read in part.

The ministry further stated that all the documents and content displayed in the media pertaining the matter never originated from the Ministry of Defence.

It distanced itself from the alleged involvement in the fake arms procurement scam that last week shocked the country.

The ministry also raised concerns that a section of the media was creating a narrative that was scandalous and libelous in spite of what is clearly a fraudulent and criminal act.

“The Ministry of Defense intends to seek redress for this matter,” the statement further revealed.

Mr Echesa was released on a Sh1 million cash bail amid investigations into the Sh40 billion arms fraud case.

The former CS had been arraigned alongside three people identified as Mr Daniel Otieno, Mr Clifford Okoth and Mr Kennedy Oyoo.

Mr Echesa was nabbed outside Deputy President William Ruto’s office but the latter has distanced himself from the scandal.

It has emerged that two of his aides were captured on a CCTV footage showing that they were present during a meeting with the foreigners who work for Echo Advanced Technologies, an American based company.

Below is the statement issued by Ministry of Defence.

Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa is no longer new to controversies! Or is he?

Well, after his arrest on Thursday, details have emerged of how the former ODM party youth leader used the office of Deputy President Dr William Ruto and Defence Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma’s signature to strike a multi-billion fraudulent deal.

According to The Standard, Echesa is said to have used the Office of the Deputy President and the signature of the Defence Cabinet Secretary to cut the fraudulent multi-billion-shilling deal to supply military surveillance equipment and guns.

The complainant, who is an American based in Poland, told the police Echesa approached them through e-mail, introducing himself as a Kenyan politician who would hook them up with a lucrative Sh39.5 billion tender.

The complainant said Echesa summoned the directors of the company into the country and had a meeting at a Nairobi hotel in the presence of people dressed in military uniforms, one of them introducing himself to the investors as a general who would be the user of the military equipment to be supplied to the Department of Defence.

The directors then arranged a trip for Echesa and three others to Poland, the headquarters of the company to inspect the surveillance equipment.

It is here that he said he would receive Sh52 million upon the signing of the contract after allegedly approving the standards of the equipment.

The victims told the police that they were on Thursday shocked to establish the man who identified himself as a military general was dressed in a suit this time round.

They also said they never got to meet the Deputy President despite Echesa promising that the contract would be signed in his presence.

What baffled investigators is that the fictitious tender document found both in the Office of the Deputy President and in Echesa’s car, bore the signature of CS Juma, among other senior ministry officials.

Forensic investigations on the signatures have been launched as part of the probe.

CS Monica Juma

Ministry of Defence Finally Speaks on Echesa’s Military Arms Fraud

How Echesa Used CS Monica Juma’s Signature to Cut The Fraudulent Multi-Billion Deal