Peter Gitaa, the embattled CEO of Bomas of Kenya, has entered a not guilty plea to eight counts of violating procurement laws.
Gitaa was given a Ksh. 1 million cash bail after being detained by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives on April 26 in connection with a purported Ksh. 8,587,831 procurement fraud.
In a decision on Monday, Magistrate Thomas Nzuki gave the accused Ksh. 5 million in bail or an alternative bond, along with a corresponding surety.
The court also ordered him to deposit his travel document and refrain from interfering with the testimony of witnesses.
Witness statements and any other papers the prosecution will need for the case must be provided, according to the order.
Lawyers for Gitaa claimed the accusations made against him were malicious and requested that he be released on bail.
They requested a light cash bond because Gitaa hasn't had a job since last year and isn't getting paid.
The prosecution asked the court to take into account the nature of the offenses and did not object to his release on bail.
“We are asking that he deposits his passport if he has one before court," prosecution told the court.
Given that the charges were brought in accordance with legal investigations, the ODPP claimed that there was no malice in their presentation.
Attorney Danstan Omari argued that the accusations against the accused were motivated by malice, citing Gitaa's interdiction and subsequent court appearance where he was granted orders. Peter Gitaa Koria is charged with wilful failure to comply with laws relating to procurement.
"Between 29th December 2020 and 30 June 2021 within Nairobi City County being the CEO and accounting officer of a public body being Bomas of Kenya you wilfully failed to comply with the law relating to procurement to wit .....by engaging in a procurement process which was not factored inthe procurement plan in relation to quotation 15 kitchen items ,16 utensils , quotation 17 kitchen items, Quotation 18 plates and cups and 19 cutlery and other items during the financial year 2020/2021,"reads the charge sheet.
