Pilot arrested over links to Sh39 billion fake military equipment deal
A Kenyan pilot working with a local aviation company has been arrested after being linked to the Sh39 billion fake military equipment tender.
Subow Mohamed Ahmed was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) based at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
“On the strength of a stop order issued by DCI Hqs Investigations Bureau, Detectives based at JKIA have arrested Subow Mohamed Ahmed, a Kenyan Pilot working with a local Aviation company. Mr. Subow is wanted in connection with Investigations into the 39 Billion Fake Arms deal,” DCI tweeted.
It was not immediately clear what role the pilot could have played in the fake arms tender scandal, but the arrest comes after DCI boss George Kinoti promised to question more suspects linked to the scam.
The arms scandal was exposed in February when allegations surfaced that former Sports CS Rashid Echesa had attempted to defraud some Polish nationals through a fictitious arms tender.
Police later arrested Echesa on February 13 and he was arraigned in Nairobi alongside Daniel Otieno Omondi alias General Juma, Clifford Okoth Onyango alias Paul, and Kennedy Oyoo Mboya on the 17th of the same month.
The charges include conspiracy to commit a felony, making a document without authority, obtaining money by false pretense, and attempt to commit a felony.
According to the charge sheet, the suspects with intent to defraud and deceive obtained 11.5 million shillings from Kozilowski Stanley Bruno by pretending to be in a position to award him a contract for the supply and delivery of military equipment to the Ministry of Defence.
The offenses are said to have taken place on diverse dates between October 2, 2019 and February 13, 2020, with one of the controversial meetings taking place in the Deputy President William Ruto’s Harambee House Annexe office.