Contractor faces Sh100m airstrip tender forgery case
By Roy.Lumbe, September 21, 2022A suspect in the tendering fraud of Sh100 million for the upgrade and expansion of Kerenga airstrip in Kericho county was yesterday charged with forgery. Jonathan Rono appeared before the Nakuru Anti-Corruption Court after a warrant for his arrest was issued on July 20.
He was charged that, on April 13, 2018, he fraudulently misinterpreted facts contained in a registration certificate from the National Construction Authority to the Evaluation Committee in order to influence the procurement process.
Rono, a director at Jemororan Construction Ltd, was awarded the contract after submitting the lowest tender bid of Sh97,421,980. However, it was discovered that he had forged the completion certificates from the county governments of Narok, Nakuru, KeNHA and KeRRA.
Not registered
The firm was also not registered with the National Construction Authority (NCA), while the registration certificate attached to their bid document was a forgery.
Rono further faced seven other charges of forgery on diverse dates in 2018. He denied the charges and, through lawyer Terer Kipkoech, sought to be released on bond.
“My client is a family man and we plead with the court to release him on reasonable bond terms; he will attend court when need be,” said Terer.
Chief Magistrate Bildad Ochieng, in his ruling, released the accused on a Sh5 million bond, a surety of the same amount, or an alternative cash bail of Sh2 million.
Six other suspects had been charged at the Kericho Anti-Corruption Court with similar crimes and were released on Sh200,000 bond each. They include David Rono (director), Joash Chirchir (county engineer), Nelson Ngétich (county procurement officer), John Mibei (county surveyor), Everlyne Morogo (county accountant) and Geoffrey Komen, a government surveyor.
“My client is a family man and we plead with the court to release him on reasonable bond terms, he will attend court, when need be,” said Terer.
Chief Magistrate Bildad Ochieng in his ruling released the accused on a Sh 5 million bond, a surety of the same amount of an alternative cash bail of Sh 2 million.
“The accused is released upon payment of the stated bond terms, matter being originally from Kericho will be mentioned tomorrow (Thursday) in Kericho law courts,” ruled Ochieng.
Six other suspects had been charged at the Kericho Anti-Corruption court with similar crimes and were released on Sh200,000 bond each.
The six include David Rono (director), Joash Chirchir (county engineer), Nelson Ngétich (county procurement officer), John Mibei (county surveyor), Everlyne Morogo (county accountant) and Geoffrey Komen, a government surveyor.