Oparanya on Graft Scandal: “I have never written a statement, the prosecution is one-sided”
Wycliffe Oparanya, the Cabinet Secretary (CS) nominee for Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development, has claimed that he has never been asked to provide a statement regarding the Ksh. 1.3 billion corruption scandal with which he is associated.
Oparanya asserts that he has not been informed about any ongoing investigation involving him and has never been questioned by authorities about the case.
“No one has come to take a statement from me. As I sit here, I am unaware of the specific accusations against me since I only learn about them from the media,” he told the Committee on Appointments on Sunday.
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He contends that the investigation has been biased and he has not been given a chance to present his side of the story.
“In August 2023, I was actively participating in protests. Someone informed me that the EACC was searching for me, and I questioned the connection between my participation in demonstrations and the EACC’s interest,” he said.
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In his defense, Oparanya emphasized that during his decade-long tenure as Kakamega Governor, he has acted with integrity and has never misappropriated public funds.
“I have served diligently for 10 years. The audit reports we have had do not indicate that I am a corrupt individual,” he added.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is investigating Oparanya and his spouses for their alleged involvement in the embezzlement of Ksh. 1.3 billion during his two terms as Kakamega Governor.
The investigation suggests that public funds were illegally acquired through intermediaries and associates during Oparanya’s administration.
Reports indicate that some of the frozen funds were used by two companies, Sesela Resources Limited and Sabema International Limited, which were contracted by the County Government of Kakamega to purchase a property in Karen, Nairobi.
Oparanya on Graft Scandal: “I have never written a statement, the prosecution is one-sided”
