Parliament revisits cocaine scam
Photo/FILE House Speaker Kenneth Marende gave AG Githu Muigai until June 5, 2012 to furnish members with answers.
By NATION REPORTER
Posted Tuesday, May 29 2012 at 22:30
Posted Tuesday, May 29 2012 at 22:30
The controversial issue of the 1.2 tonnes cocaine haul seized in 2004 was back in Parliament on Tuesday with MPs demanding a full disclosure of investigations into the matter.
The lawmakers took Attorney-General Githu Muigai, who was relying on a report by the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko, to task over Kenya’s largest cocaine haul.
Ikolomani MP Boni Khalwale said Prof Muigai was keeping a safe distance on the matter when the House was looking to him for answers on the impounded cocaine.
Its street value was put at Sh7.2 billion by the US and Sh5.3 billion by the Kenya Government even as the AG requested more time to consult the DPP on the queries.
MPs John Harun Mwau (Kilome) and William Kabogo (Juja) asked Prof Muigai to issue a comprehensive statement, with Mr Kabogo saying he had been falsely implicated in the matter.
Mr Mwau, who was named in June last year among global drug kingpins by US President Barack Obama, wants Prof Muigai to set the record straight on the location where the cocaine was seized.
“Some say it was in Athi-River, others in Malindi and others in Embakasi, it is very important that this clarification is made,” he said.
Mr Kabogo and Mr Mwau told the government’s chief legal advisor to clarify whether any sitting MPs were among suspects linked to the matter.
Prof Muigai said he would refer the matters raised to Mr Tobiko and give answers in a week’s time.
“This is a very sensitive and complicated matter. I cannot answer the questions on whether names of MPs were in the report or not,” the AG said.
House Speaker Kenneth Marende gave Prof Muigai until next Tuesday to furnish members with answers.
Dr Khalwale questioned whether there was any verification of contents that were set ablaze after the seizure to confirm that it was cocaine.
Reports by Caroline Wafula, Alphonce Shiundu and Njeri Rugene
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