EACC Probes Matiang'i's Wealth

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has written to Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei seeking information regarding the declared wealth of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i.

In a letter dated Monday, February 27, EACC chief executive, Twalib Mbarak stated that the commission "is carrying out investigations involving Dr Fred Matiangi." and would use the data collected from his wealth as evidence.

"Pursuant to Section 30(1) (4) (b) of the Public Officers Ethics Act, the Commission wishes to request for Certified Copies of Declaration of Income, Assets and Liabilities forms for years 2012 to 2022, including the initial and final declarations," stated the letter. 

EACC offices in Nairobi. /FILE

Furthermore, Mbarak delegated EACC officers Abdul Low and Paul Mugwe to collect the documents from Koskei's office at Harambee House.

The commission wants Koskei to publicise the former CS's declarations of income, assets, and liabilities.

This now piles more woes on the former civil servant whose house in Karen was raided twice in one week, the first time allegedly by police on Wednesday, February 8 and the second to supposedly retrieve CCTV footage to prove that the officers did not raid the home that night.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) later summoned him to appear at the DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road at Mazingira House on Friday, February 24, 2023, at 09.30 AM without fail. The summons came after the High Court in Nairobi extended orders stopping the police from harassing or arresting him.

However, Matiang'i skipped the summons, with his lawyer, Danstan Omari, dismissing the alleged summons noting that neither the former CS nor his legal representatives had received such a directive.

He opined that the law compels investigative agencies to serve summons in person to individuals it is targeting for questioning, a matter that was not followed when Senior Superintendent of Police Michael Sang directed Matiang'i to appear at the DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road on Friday without fail.

Omari also pointed out that the summons was not signed and witnessed by at least three senior police officers before being issued to the embattled former CS and that the legal team of the summons' target should have confirmed receipt of the orders in writing.

"A proper summon under the NPS Act must be signed and witnessed by police officers. Show me one where the police have signed similarly to mine where there were three signatures of police officers," said Omari in reference to an earlier DCI summon that directed him to present himself for questioning on grounds that he could have published false information regarding the alleged police raid on February 8, grounds Matiang'i was also accused of.