Editor's Review

Former Tourism and Wildlife CS Najib Balala has been released on a Sh 1 million cash bail.

Former Tourism and Wildlife and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has denied graft charges relating to the illegal payment of Sh 8.5 billion for the setting up of a satellite Utalii College in the coast region.

Malindi Chief Magistrate James Mwaniki on Friday, December 22 released Balala on a Sh 1 million cash bail or an alternative Sh 5 million.

The prosecution did not oppose the former CS’s application for bail.

Balala was arrested on Thursday night by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives alongside former Tourism PS Leah Agwiyo and Joseph Odero of West Consult Engineers.

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File image of former Tourism CS Najib Balala. 

"The commission has been taking operation and this is after EACC received the concurrent from the Director of Public Prosecution to apprehend and arraign before the court the suspects in this Utalii case. This is a case where the suspects are alleged to have engaged in procurement fraud for the construction of Utalli College, Coast Branch," EACC spokesperson Eric Gumbi stated.

Gumbi also noted that 13 other accused persons have been directed to surrender and record statements on their alleged involvement in the scandal.

The case will be mentioned on Thursday, December 28, 2023.