On Tuesday, Mombasa Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku arraigned former Mandera South Member of Parliament Adan Haji Ali Sheikh for illegally awarding his firm a tender worth Kes.51,456,006.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) charged Ali with conflict of interest, violating Section 42(3) as read with Section 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act 2003.
The ex-MP is accused of failing to disclose his connections with Lofta Resort Limited while serving as the Kwale County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Tourism.
According to the prosecution, the former legislator awarded a catering service tender worth Kes.51,456,006 to his Kwale-based hotel, Lofta Resort, between May 10, 2013, and May 10, 2017, within Kwale County.
Reportedly, the hotel had been prequalified and granted contracts to provide accommodation and conference services to the Kwale County government on various occasions for four years. The company received the specified sum directly from Kwale County.
Investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) ALSO uncovered that Haji, along with his wife Fatuma Ibrahim Roba and son Alibashir Adankhalif, were registered as directors of Lofta Resort Limited.
The former Mandera South legislator entered a plea of not guilty to the charge and was granted release on a bond of Kes.2,000,000 with one surety of a similar amount. Alternatively, he could provide a cash bail of Kes.500,000.
The prosecution of the case, led by Peter Kiprop, Alex Gituma, and Victor Simbi, will have a pre-trial mention scheduled for February 27, 2024.
