BY IRENE ONYANGO.
Former Permanent Secretary Sammy Itemere is a free man after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) terminated graft charges against him.
The former Broadcasting and Telecommunication PS was accused of conspiracy to steal Sh122 million from the Ministry of ICT, which was meant for paying media houses for services rendered.
The DPP, however, terminated the charges against Itemere and 12 others and application that was allowed by Chief Magistrate Lukas Onyina.
The magistrate said in a ruling that the reasons given by the DPP, for the withdrawal, were good enough. He ordered the security deposited in court, to secure their release, be returned to them.
Others whose charges were dropped were Edith Kainda Nkanata, Amos Matanga Tayari, Gladys Hadida Bwora, Gladys Isaka Mwanyika and Agren Jescah Ateka.
Kakamega Deputy Governor, Ayub Savula alongside his two wives Melody Gatwiri Ringera and Hellen Jepkor Kemboi were unlucky as the prosecution amended the charges against them.
The duo is said to be the directors of the Cross Continents Ventures Ltd, M/S the Sunday Publishers Ltd, NoBurns Protection Agencies Ltd, Johnnewton Communications, Shieldlock Ltd, Melsay Company Ltd, and Express Media Group.
“I pray this court to admit this application and give two weeks for the amendment of the charge sheet against the remaining accused persons,” said the prosecutor.
The prosecution said that the freed suspects must make some undertaking that they will not sue for damages for malicious prosecution.
In the case seven companies associated with Savula and his two wives were charged for fraudulently obtaining Sh 122,335,500 pretending they were in a position to offer advertising services in magazines with a wide circulation in Kenya, a fact they knew to be false.
The accused persons were charged with conspiracy to steal Sh 122,335,500 on diverse dates between July 1, 2015 and August 30, 2018 at the state department for broadcasting and co-operation Nairobi.
It is further alleged that the Government Advertisement Agencies (GAA) paid over Sh2.5 Billion to 99 ghost companies. GAA handles all advertising from government ministries and departments in both electronic and print media.
