Ex-CS Echesa arraigned over Sh40 billion fake military tender
Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa was on Friday Morning arraigned at the JKIA court over alleged involvement in a fraudulent arms deal reportedly linked to the Kenya Defence Force.
Echesa, who is facing charges over alleged involvement in a firearms tender deal amounting to Sh40 billion, however denied authoring forged documents in the fake military installation deal.
His lawyer Bryan Khaemba opposed his detention saying the former CS was being questioned for the ‘minor’ allegation and it did not warrant his detention as the investigation into the scandal continues.
“It is clear from the affidavit of the Investigating Officer that the offense the applicants are investigating a minor offense of making a document and thus cannot call for the detention of the first respondent (Echesa),” Khaemba argued in court.
“It won’t help the investigation that he must be in custody for the investigation of such a minor offense to be concluded,” the Lawyer added.
The prosecution is seeking to hold him for 21 days pending investigations.
Echesa was on Thursday grilled for hours by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at its headquarters situated along Kiambu Road.
The former sports CS was driving towards the Nairobi Kilimani area when he was ambushed by the DCI officers.
His arrest followed a complaint by two gun dealers from Poland who claimed he had swindled them of Sh11.5 million they had paid as ‘consultancy fees.’
According to the two arms dealers, Echesa had promised to use his influence to help them secure the multi-billion shilling security tender at the Kenya Defence Forces.
The former CS is said to have lured the duo into the deal that included drones after presenting himself as a friend of Deputy President William Ruto. He is said to have already pocketed US$115,000 (Sh11.5 million) in down payment.