Photo/FILE Attorney General Amos Wako (above) said the warrants of arrest submitted to the government through Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere were short of details of the allegations.
By BERNARD NAMUNANE bnamunane@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Monday, May 30 2011 at 22:34
Posted Monday, May 30 2011 at 22:34
The government is awaiting details of money laundering allegations facing Nambale MP Chris Okemo and former Kenya Power and Lighting Company boss Samuel Gichuru before starting the extradition process.
Attorney General Amos Wako on Monday said the Jersey Island authorities had promised to submit documents detailing the allegations either Tuesday or Wednesday to enable the government to act on their request.
“Either tomorrow (Tuesday) or on Wednesday, a complete set of supporting documents will have been submitted to us by the Attorney General of Jersey Islands. I have spoken to him and we have agreed on the need to give us all the details,” he said on phone.
Mr Wako, who is in Geneva, Switzerland, on an official trip, said the warrants of arrest submitted to the government through Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere were short of details of the allegations.
“The arrest warrant did not have supportive documents, which makes it difficult for us to move. We need to know the nature and details of the crimes the two have allegedly committed in the Jersey for us to act,” he said.
Mr Okemo and Mr Gichuru are wanted by the Jersey Island authorities who have lined up charges of money laundering and corruption against them. (READ: Kenya to give up Okemo, Gichuru)
Interpol sent the warrants through the police, requesting Kenya to arrest and hand over Mr Okemo and Mr Gichuru for “concealing of transferring the proceeds of crime.”
The government only agreed to extradite the two to the United Kingdom last week after London accepted to arrest Mr Yagnesh Devani, the man behind the Sh7.6 billion Triton oil scandal — and hand him over to Kenya to face charges of fraud.
The UK has since arrested Mr Devani and is seeking orders to extradite him.
It was then that Mr Wako instructed Chief Public Prosecutor Keriako Tobiko to confirm with the courts that the charges facing the two are recognised in our law books and then obtain extradition orders to hand them over.
Asked how long it will take, Mr Wako said: “ Immediately we get the supporting documents, we will move fast.”
Mr Okemo and Mr Gichuru face a jail term of 14 years on charges of money laundering in Jersey. At the time, Nambale MP was Energy minister and later Finance minister.
A warrant of arrest, which was obtained by the Nation, describes Mr Okemo as an “accomplice” and the former KPCL boss as a “fugitive”.
Jersey Island, because of its secrecy laws, has in the past been a haven for money launderers.
Corrupt African rulers and their loyalists have stashed billions of dollars in Europe and other regions.
The claims relate to deals done between 1986 and 2002.
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