Oloo took Sh2m county furniture, Kisumu tells DCI
The County Assembly of Kisumu has asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to investigate ousted Speaker Onyango Oloo amid claims that he carted away household goods worth over Sh2 million after his impeachment.
Assembly Clerk Owen Ojuok, who confirmed that the Assembly had reported the matter to police, said it was also mulling legal action against Mr Oloo.
According to the Assembly, on the night of December 9, Mr Oloo carried away household goods that were used to furnish a house that had been rented out by the county for the Speaker.
According to a security guard at the official Speaker’s residence at Al Arian Court along Jomo Kenyatta Highway next to the Kisumu State Lodge, he is said to have moved the furniture at around 1 am using a lorry.
He is alleged to have carted away the household goods following last week’s ruling that upheld his impeachment.
Among the items are coffee tables valued at Sh360,000, a king size bed, leather sofa sets valued at Sh756,000 and an executive display cabinet with treated mahogany timber that cost the devolved unit Sh580,000.
Also among the items was a TV stand priced at Sh150,000 and a tripod nine-seater dining table with a revolving top that cost a whopping Sh860,000.
Mr Oloo suffered a major setback last week after a Kisumu court dismissed a petition he had filed challenging his ouster.
Employment and Labor Relations Court Judge Nduma Nderi dismissed the case for lack of merit.
The judge also ordered Mr Oloo to immediately release the official county vehicle to acting Speaker Elisha Oraro.
The court directed that the Assembly pays any accrued statutory benefits duly owed to the ousted Speaker while at the same time asking him to settle any liabilities.
But when county officials led by Mr Ojuok visited the residence on Tuesday, they found the house empty with only a table left behind.
Mr Ojuok indicated that the official vehicle was surrendered on December 11 and was at Toyota Kenya for checkup.
“We wrote to the Speaker asking him to avail himself so that we could send our inspection team to ascertain the items in the house before he left but, unfortunately, we found the door locked and the furniture missing,” he said.
He indicated that after interrogating the security guards, they were told that Mr Oloo left with the assets.
“We have already reported to the police for investigations and a file has been opened since the property belongs to the Assembly,” said Mr Ojuok.
He said that all attempts to reach Mr Oloo through letters, phone calls and text messages were futile.
DENIAL
Mr Oloo has, however, told the media that he had not acted in contravention of any laws.
He said the furniture at his official residence was bought for him as the Speaker, arguing that his predecessor had left with what the Assembly had bought for him.
“This is a rented premises and I had to remove the items for security reasons. If they want me to return the assets, I will but, alternatively, they can calculate the value of depreciation so that I can compensate them,” said Mr Oloo.
The clerk revealed that they had already paid house rent up to January but had issued a notice of vacation to the property owner.
The Assembly, in September this year, elected Mr Oraro in an acting capacity after MCAs impeached Mr Oloo after he was implicated in a corruption scandal during his time as the chairman of the Lake Basin Development Authority Mall in Kisumu County
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