Senate intervenes in Tabitha Keroche court case

The Clerk of the Senate, Jeremia Nyegenye, is seeking to stop the case filed by Nakuru residents against Senator Tabitha Karanja’s office pending outcome of investigations being conducted by other government bodies.

Mr Nyegenye who has filed an application for stay of proceedings before the High court in Nakuru claims the matter is currently before the Parliamentary Service Commission and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

Senator Karanja is facing accusations of misuse of funds at her office amounting to Sh 8.3 million allocated to her office for purposes of payment of salaries to her staff members.

She is further accused of subjecting her staff to unfair Labour practices through underpayments and illegal termination of employment, in breach of their employment contracts.

The case was filed by two Nakuru residents namely Benson Macharia and Sangale Ole Nasieku who sought orders to freeze the bank accounts for the Nakuru senators’ office.

The two have petitioned the Court to have the Clerk of the Senate compelled to refrain from releasing any more funds to the Senator through her office bank account until the independent audit is done on the operation of the account.

According to the petitioners, Sh2.1 million is said to have been used for salaries, Sh2.27 million for public engagement, Sh2.33 million for research and training and Sh1.6 million for printing and advertising.

Mr Macharia in his supporting affidavit claims the Senator colluded with other respondents to illegally perpetrate deceit, frauds and misuse of public funds, contrary to the law.

The Clerk of the Senate, County Senator’s Office Manager and the Manager Equity Bank are listed as respondents in the case.

However, the clerk in his response claimed to have already authorized for a special audit in the office of the senator that was carried out between October 7 and 9 whose outcome is yet to be made.

“In the circumstances this court should stay these proceedings to allow EACC and PSC to discharge their mandate of investigations into the alleged misuse of public funds allocated to the office of the senator,” read part of the application.

The court upon hearing the case ex-parte had directed that it be mentioned on January 23.

However, the petitioners lodged a successful appeal for review before the courts deputy registrar which saw the date reviewed to November 21.