Director of Public Prosecutions Noording Haji has confirmed that former Interior Cabinet secretary Fred Matiangi is part of the individuals being investigated over the Sh1.2 billion shillings Ruaraka land scandal.
He has however said that a decision is yet to be made over who should be prosecuted as he is still waiting for the file to land in his office.
“For a long time, the media has been asking about the Ruaraka land. Once the file is ready, we will make the decision and we will inform the public. We are awaiting the finalisation of the financial investigations. Once that is ready is complete we will make an appropriate decision,” said Haji during an interview with Citizen TV.
“A regards to whether he is under investigation by other agencies, that question is best put to them. In any case, no one is above the law,” said Haji.
Matiangi was in 2018 blamed alongside Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsanf for loss of Sh1.5 billion in the Ruaraka school land saga. The agency also demanded that businessman Peter Mburu who was paid for the land deposit the cash in court.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) at that time said Dr Matiang’i and Dr Kipsang ignored the recommendations of the quality assurance and standards assessment team, which established that the land on which Ruaraka High school stands is public.
“That in a blatant disregard of the report… Dr. Fred Matiang’i put forth a formal request pursuant to Section 107(1) of the Land Act in a letter dated 17th March 2017,” said the EACC in court documents.
“The Cabinet Secretary formally requested the applicant to commence the process leading to the acquisition of the schools’ land on the pretext that it was private land.”
Businessman Francis Mburu was paid Sh1.5 billion for the land, which Parliament found was ceded to the state decades ago. Two public schools, Drive Inn Primary and Ruaraka High school are situated on the land.
Dr Matiangi yesterday moved to court under a certificate of urgency seeking protection from alleged imminent arrest as confusion reigned on whether there was a siege by police at his Karen home or not.
The government has maintained innocence on the matter saying that the former CS stage managed the whole thing
