BY SAM ALFAN.
Cooperative and MSMEs Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has dismissed claims that he used public funds to acquire and house in Nairobi’s Karen area.
In an application seeking to lift an order freezing his funds, the former Kakamega governor said there was no justification for the order to remain in force as it was evident that the funds are not proceeds of corruption as alleged.
“I am convinced that the same was never intended to further the fight against corruption so I pray that the ex-pate orders granted be set aside and the freezing and preservation orders be lifted,” says Oparanya.
The CS denied allegations by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission that he used Tricomp Energy Company limited as a vehicle to purchase the house.
He terms the allegations that he used the said company to buy the house on Ololua Ridge as totally unfounded.
According to the CS, he was paid Sh12 million being his annuity savings at Old Mutual on April 9, 2018 and from the money, he paid Sh5 million to his advocate, for the house purchase.
He further claimed that he made a further payment of Sh5 million to former Embu senator Lenny Kivuti.
“Therefore the allegations that I used funds from Kakemega county to pay for the house in question are preposterous ,” says Oparanya.
The former Kakemega boss further stated that it is evident that he has been paying for the purchase of the Karen house from his savings and funds raised from the sale of other assets.
He has dismissed allegations by anti-graft agency that he used Tricomp Energy Company to purchase his house terming allegations as untrue. He added that the company is the original purchase of the Karen property but they later agreed that he would purchase from them since they were not able to complete the transaction.
