‘I will not come’: MP Didmus Barasa defies EACC summons, sees mischief in Sh2m bribery claim
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa has denied allegations of extorting a Sh2 million bribe from a businesswoman by falsely promising to influence the awarding of multi-million shilling road contracts in her favor.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) summoned Barasa after the woman claimed she gave him the money in December 2023, but he has been avoiding her.
The EACC reported that the woman alleged Barasa presented himself as the chairperson of the parliamentary Roads committee and said he was responsible for road projects in his Kimilili constituency.
The woman claimed the politician assured her that he could secure multiple lucrative tenders for her if she partnered with him and paid the requested amount.
She further alleged that after she transferred the funds, the MP cut off communication by blocking her calls and refusing to meet with her.
Despite being summoned by the EACC on August 14, Barasa allegedly ignored the notice. The agency has now issued a fresh summons requiring his appearance before the commission tomorrow (Tuesday).
In response, Barasa insists he will not comply with the summons, arguing that the money was a loan, not a bribe, and characterizing the issue as a civil dispute rather than a criminal matter.
When approached about the recent EACC summons, Barasa directed inquiries to a video he posted on social media, addressing the commission’s accusations.
In the video, Barasa claimed that the funds were a loan from the woman, who he described as a former gubernatorial candidate.
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According to the MP, the disagreement arose due to a conflict over the terms of repayment.
“I want to clarify that the Sh2,000,000 deposited in my Cooperative Bank account was a soft loan from the mentioned politician, who unsuccessfully ran for governor in a Kenyan county on December 13, 2023,” Barasa said.
He added that the bank records confirming the nature of the transfer indicate it was a loan. He argued that the ongoing dispute over the loan terms is a private contractual matter and not the concern of the EACC.
Barasa also mentioned that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Karen dismissed the case, citing it as a civil matter outside their jurisdiction.
“This is to inform you that I will not comply with the summons as they constitute a misuse of the Commission’s mandate. You cannot ask me to explain the reasons for the money transfer when the documents already show it was a loan, even though the amount exceeds $1 million. You are obligated to review the supporting documents,” Barasa stated.
He emphasized that his non-payment is due to unresolved disagreements with the lender and that the EACC’s involvement is unwarranted, advising that the matter be resolved in a civil court instead.
Barasa concluded by saying that he would send a lawyer to represent him at the EACC on the scheduled date.
‘I will not come’: MP Didmus Barasa defies EACC summons, sees mischief in Sh2m bribery claim
