Deputy President William Ruto has told the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to go for the real culprits behind the fake Sh39 billion military equipment tender deal, which has seen former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa arrested and charged.
The DP Ruto (pictured) distanced himself from the saga, adding that the move to link his office to the ongoing investigations is a smear campaign by his political opponents.
He took to tweeter on Saturday to defend himself following media reports that his aides are on the DCI radar over the alleged negotiatiation of the fake military equipment deal at the Harambee House Annex.
“The desperation of my political competitors on their choreographed smear campaign against Ruto is evident even for fools (whom we have a shortage for) to see,” he said.
Ruto said all those being sought after led by ex-CS Echesa are just scapegoats and soon the investigation will be directed at him, telling the DCI to go for the culprits and leave him alone.
“Just wait and see where this will end up. Washindwe! Go for the fraudsters. Leave me to serve the nation,” said the DP.
The staff of interest to the police investigators include security officials, secretaries and aides serving in the office of the DP.
Police officers aware of the plans said they believe the staff had information on the conception and execution of the deal.
“They must have known something. Again the complainant has named some of the staff. We also recovered the fake tender papers from the office,” said a senior officer aware of the investigations.
Echesa was on Friday charged with forgery over the deals and released on Sh1 million bail. He is however still in police custody as the police complete their investigations.
He was arrested alongside Daniel Otieno Omondi, Kennedy Oyoo Mboya and Clifford Okoth.
Echesa is said to have used the Office of the Deputy President and the signature of Defence Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma to cut the fraudulent multi-billion-shilling deal to supply military surveillance equipment and guns.
The complainant, who is an American based in Poland, told the police Echesa approached them through e-mail, introducing himself as a Kenyan politician who would hook them up with a lucrative Sh39.5 billion tender.
Cotu boss Francis Atwoli, a fierce critic of Ruto slammed the DP for allowing his office to be used in executing fake and fraudulent deals.
“If such documents can be signed in your office, then it means if you become president, you will carry Central Bank on your back and disappear with it,” Atwoli said.