By Wilfridah Murenga
The Deputy Director of Programmes, Public Policy and President’s Priority Initiatives Pius Chirchir, has been charged with abuse of office and attempting to commit a felony at the Makadara Law Courts.
In a statement issued by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the senior government official was accused of demanding a 2 per cent stake in Kentegra Pyrethrum Company Limited.
“After comprehensive investigations conducted by the DCI in a case where Pius Chirchir, the Deputy Director of Programmes, Public Policy and President’s Priority Initiatives is implicated, the said state officer has been charged for Abuse of office and Attempting to commit a felony at the Makadara Law Courts,” said the DCI in a statement posted on X.
“The suspect (Pius Chirchir) demanded a 2% stake (shareholding) from Kentegra Pyrethrum Company Limited to assist the company in bypassing the hurdles brought about by the Pyrethrum Act of 2013 which required farmers to use the electronic Tax Invoice Management System (eTIMS), and also help the company in its case concerning the illegal sale of two (2) tons of Kentegra dried pyrethrum flowers to Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya,” the statement further added.
Chirchir was brought before the court on the 16th of April, 2024, where he was charged with two offences, and was released on a bond of Sh200,000 with one surety of the same amount with an option of Sh100,000 cash bail.
The matter is scheduled for mention on June 13, 2024, preceding its hearing scheduled for September 17, 2024, in front of Court No. 7 of Makadara Law Courts.
