Minister denies dam graft charges
KENYA’S Finance Minister Henry Rotich pleaded not guilty yesterday to corruption charges over the awarding of two dam tenders, a day after his detention in an unprecedented move against a sitting minister in a country notorious for graft.
Rotich, who spent the night in a police cell, is accused alongside other senior officials of conspiring to defraud the public, among other charges.
Not all the 28 accused were in court, but all those present also pleaded not guilty.
The case stems from an investigation into the misuse of funds in two dam projects planned in western Kenya, overseen by Italian construction company CMC Di Ravenna.
Kenya also charged a director of the company, Paolo Porcelli, in absentia with conspiracy to defraud the country. Kenya would seek his extradition from Italy, director of public prosecutions Noordin Haji said yesterday.
“We’ll also issue an international arrest warrant,” said Haji.