Ex-minister takes multi-billion billion Anglo-Leasing scandal secrets to the grave
Prior to his death, the former minister was facing fraud charges relating to the Anglo-leasing scam.
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Prior to his death, the ex-minister was facing fraud charges relating to the Anglo-leasing scam.
The scam involved multiple contracts being awarded to phantom firms amounting to billions of shillings.
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Anglo Leasing Finance was paid about USD33 million to supply the Kenyan government with a system to print new high-technology passports; other fictitious companies involved in the scam were given money to supply naval ships and forensic laboratories.
However none of the contracts were honoured.
Successive governments
It is alleged that the scam began under the administration of Mr Moi and continued under his successor former President Mwai Kibaki, who came to power in 2002 promising to crack down on the looting of public money.
Mwiraria was among several ministers who former permanent secretary for ethics John Githongo claimed had attempted to derail investigations into the scandal.
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However, Mwiraria could not attend the court proceedings due to his ill health.
Last year, he was exempted indefinitely from attending proceedings of the Anglo-leasing case.
According to his lawyer, lawyer Kioko Kilukumi, his client was not fit to stand lengthy a trial.
"My client's condition is chronic and I urge the court to drop charges leveled against him until he fully recovers and ready to stand trial," Kilukumi said.
As it stands now, all the graft charges against Mwiraria, will be dropped.
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Under the law, a deceased person cannot be tried and the prosecution may be forced to amend the charge sheet to exclude his name, in the case where he had been charged alongside others.
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