Editor's Review

Itumbi wants CS Matiangi charged for abuse of office, financial misconduct, willful failure to comply with the law on management of public funds and conspiracy to defraud the government during his tenure as Cabinet Secretary in charge of Education. 

Renowned blogger Denis Itumbi has moved to court requesting for an approval to conduct a private criminal prosecution against Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi over the Sh1.5bn Ruaraka land deal.

In his petition, Itumbi argued that the public prosecutor has been willing to prosecute CS Matiang’I thus the decision to seek private criminal prosecution.

“Demonstrable grounds exist for believing that a grave social evil is being allowed to flourish unchecked because of the inaction of a pusillanimous Director of Public Prosecution and Office of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission who are guilty of a capricious, corrupt or biased failure to prosecute the 1st Respondent,” part of the statement read. 

His petition is informed by a court ruling which noted that the Ruaraka land acquisition contravened some set laws.

Itumbi wants CS Matiangi charged for abuse of office, financial misconduct, willful failure to comply with the law on management of public funds, and conspiracy to defraud the government during his tenure as Cabinet Secretary in charge of Education.

In 2019, a three-judge bench ruled that the National Lands Commission gave misleading information to government officers who gave the green light for payment of Sh1.5 billion for the 13-acre land.

In their ruling, the three-judge bench made up of; Elijah Obaga, Benard Eboso and Kossy Bor noted that payment made by the Ministry of Education was irregular, as the land in which the two public schools stand belongs to the State.