Nambale MP Chris Okemo (left) and former Kenya Power and Lighting boss Samuel Gichuru are wanted in Jersey where they authorities accuse them of money laundering and corruption. Photos/FILE
By BERNARD NAMUNANE bnamunane@ke.nationmedia.com AND SAMWEL KUMBA skumba@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Monday, May 23 2011 at 22:30
Posted Monday, May 23 2011 at 22:30
Nambale MP Chris Okemo and former Kenya Power and Lighting boss Samuel Gichuru are to be extradited to the UK to face money-laundering charges.
This was after a British minister assured the government that his country would hunt down Yagnesh Devani — the man behind the Sh7.6 billion Triton oil scandal —and extradite him to face charges in Kenya.
Attorney General Amos Wako on Monday evening submitted arrest warrants against Mr Okemo and Mr Gichuru to Chief Public Prosecutor Keriako Tobiko to seek a court order for the extradition.
Mr Tobiko will have to prove that the crimes the two are alleged to have committed in Jersey are also crimes in Kenya.
“Tobiko will have to confirm if a prima facie case exists against the two Kenyans for the request to proceed so that formal extradition proceedings can be commenced in Court,” said the AG.
Mr Wako spoke hours after receiving the arrest warrant from Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere.
Interpol had submitted the arrest warrant to the police boss seeking the extradition of the two.
They are wanted in Jersey where they authorities accuse them of money laundering and corruption.
Arrest pair
“The AG has just received the warrant today (Monday). He will read it and make a decision according to the law,” said government spokesman Alfred Mutua.
The government appears to have hesitated to hand over the pair because the British government had not responded to its request to arrest Mr Devani so that he can face local charges.
Internal Security minister Orwa Ojode had earlier said Kenya should not hand over Mr Okemo and Mr Gichuru unless Britain agreed to reciprocate by extraditing Mr Devani.
“We believe that Devani is in the UK and they have so far refused to hand him over to others. We should not be so quick to hand over our people when they have refused to give us Devani,” he said.
However, during the press conference in his office, Mr Wako said Britain had agreed to apprehend Mr Devani and extradite him.
He confirmed that a UK court has issued a warrant of arrest against Mr Devani, who is wanted in Kenya for fraud.
He made the announcement after meeting UK minister for Africa Henry Bellingham.
“I can confirm information that the British Minister for Africa and the United Nations in the Foreign and Common Wealth Office has assured me of the arrest warrant issued against Devani,” he said.
The AG said Kenya had reason to believe that Devani was in the UK.
On the case against evangelist Gilbert Deya, wanted in Kenya in relation to child trafficking, the AG said the Kenya Government has to sort out a “few issues” before a warrant of arrest is issued in the UK.
Mr Okemo and Mr Gichuru, who face a jail term of 14 years on charges of money laundering in Jersey Island are virtually trapped in the country.
A warrant of arrest against them issued by a Jersey court, which was obtained by the Nation, shows that Interpol has notified three other countries, including Tanzania, which the two frequently visit.
Describing the former Finance minister as an “accomplice” and former KPLC boss as a “fugitive” the warrant transmitted by Interpol to the government of Kenya also asks authorities in Tanzania, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to arrest them and extradite them to the UK.
Dated April 8, 2010, it states: “This request is to be treated as a formal request for provisional arrest, in conformity with national laws and/or the applicable bilateral and multilateral treaties. Immediately inform NCB London United Kingdom …. and the ICPO-Interpol general secretariat that the fugitive has been found.”
This means that Mr Okemo and Mr Gichuru will not be able to travel to countries which have signed extradition treaties with the UK among them the United States, European Union member states and African countries that have close ties with Britain.
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