The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has approved charges against a Turkana County Government nurse, a supplier company and its director over the alleged acquisition and laundering of proceeds of crime amounting to KSh2.76 million.
The suspects are Gilbert Suleiman Eskuku, a registered nurse employed by the County Government of Turkana; Ekwang Suppliers Company Limited; and Abass Abdi Yusuf, a director of the company.
According to the charge details, the three are accused of acquiring KSh2,763,811.05 from the County Government of Turkana between July 1, 2020, and July 5, 2021, knowing or having reason to believe that the money constituted proceeds of crime.
The prosecution alleges that Eskuku and Yusuf were directors and signatories to bank accounts belonging to Ekwang Suppliers Company Limited through which the funds were received.
Eskuku faces additional charges of conflict of interest and money laundering.
On the conflict-of-interest charge, he is accused of knowingly acquiring a direct private interest in contracts awarded to Ekwang Suppliers Company Limited, a company associated with him, resulting in payments totalling KSh2,763,811.05 from the county government.
He is also accused of withdrawing the same amount between July 1, 2020, and July 31, 2023, while knowing or having reason to believe that the transactions were intended to conceal the nature of the funds, contrary to the law on money laundering.
The charges follow investigations into alleged irregular county contracts involving the company. The accused persons are yet to answer to the charges in court, and the allegations remain subject to the judicial process.
