EX-PS among six arrested over allegd Sh1.5bn stadia tender

Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have arrested six suspects over the alleged irregular award and payment of a contract for stadium infrastructure ahead of the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN).

According to an official press statement issued in Nairobi on Tuesday, 8th September 2026, by EACC officer Abdi A. Mohamud, the contract in question was valued at $15.89 million, which translates to approximately Sh1.5 billion.

The tender was awarded in 2017 by the State Department for Sports Development in the then Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts to M/s Auditel Kenya, described as a Spanish company registered in Kenya.

The contract entailed the supply and installation of security, access control, communications, audio-visual, and pitch lighting systems at various stadia across Kenya.

Anti-corruption investigations established that an advance payment of $3.15 million, approximately Sh330 million, was made to the company.

However, investigators noted that this payment was made under a contract that was allegedly "not procured in accordance with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015"

The Commission stated that the firm subsequently failed to fulfil its contractual obligations. This failure reportedly resulted in "the loss of S330 million in public funds"

Investigators further established that financial movements were executed to disguise the origin of the money.

According to the statement, "the funds were transferred through various entities in an effort to conceal their source and facilitate their movement back to Kenya."

Following the conclusion of investigations, the EACC forwarded the inquiry file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The DPP subsequently approved the prosecution of public officials, company directors, and other persons linked to the matter

The suspects face several criminal charges, including "conspiracy to commit an economic crime, unlawful acquisition of public property, money laundering and abuse of office"

The six individuals arrested on Tuesday, 8th September 2026, are Amb. Peter Kirimi Kaberia, former Principal Secretary in the State Department for Sports Development, and Stephen Njoroge Muthuma, Senior Principal Finance Officer in the Ministry of Education

Also arrested were John Kiende Ruga, Senior Superintendent Engineer at Sports Kenya; Samuel Mbaa Njoroge, Tax Advisor and Partner at Taxwise Africa Consulting LLP; Enock Ondwari Onditi, former Principal Accountant in the State Department for Sports Development; and Anthony Mwangi Kimathi, a former employee of Instalaciones Inabensa, S.A.

The Commission indicated that these suspects were expected to be arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court at Milimani, Nairobi, later on Tuesday.

Alongside the six arrests, the Commission issued an explicit directive instructing four other persons to "present themselves immediately at Integrity Centre, or the nearest EACC office for processing."

The four individuals directed to present themselves are Harun Komen Chebet, former Director of Administration in the State Department for Sports Development; Marcos Gonzalez Puente, Director of Auditel Ingenieria Y Servicios; Kitheka Muema, former Audit Committee Member at the Football Kenya Federation (FKF); and Ephraim Muchangi Kinyua, an automobile business consultant.

In addition to the pending criminal proceedings, the anti-graft agency confirmed that it has initiated civil proceedings. These civil actions seek the "recovery and forfeiture of public funds and assets alleged to have been acquired through proceeds of crime arising from the matter"

Emphasising its institutional mandate, the EACC concluded by affirming that it "remains committed to protecting public resources and ensuring that public officers and other persons entrusted with public resources are held accountable when they abuse their positions for private gain."