Wycliffe Oparanya, the nominee for Cooperatives and MSMEs Cabinet Secretary, has stated that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has never summoned him to provide a statement regarding the corruption allegations against him.
During his appearance before the Committee on Appointments on Sunday, he asserted that he has never engaged in corrupt activities and assured that, if approved, the funds within the Cooperatives sector would be secure under his management.
Oparanya also mentioned that he visited the Integrity Centre to retrieve his children’s phones, which he claimed were confiscated by individuals identifying themselves as EACC detectives.
“While there, I did not record any statement. They gave me the phones after hours,” he alleged.
“Nobody has come to me to write a statement. I have never been given a chance to tell my story.”
Oparanya also asserted that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has never reached out to him regarding any cases or allegations. He mentioned that he served diligently for ten years, five of which were spent as a Minister, and stated that his audit reports have not identified him as a person of interest.
Oparanya claimed that the EACC is pursuing him due to his involvement in the August 2023 Azimio demonstrations.
He recounted an incident where officers visited his home and inquired about his relationship with Azimio leader Raila Odinga, whether he kept firearms, and how he financed the demonstrations. However, he stated that they did not address any of the allegations against him.
Oparanya noted that those who came to his home identified themselves as EACC officers, with some dressed in civilian clothing.
“Nobody has come to take a statement from me. I don’t know what I’m being accused of because I’m also seeing it in the papers,” he claimed. Oparanya explained that the funds frozen after the EACC obtained a court order were not in his account but rather with the County Providence Fund (CPF), where he was in the process of purchasing property.
He added that the CPF was contacted by the EACC to provide a statement, which alerted him to the fact that the agency was investigating his finances. He clarified that the money involved came from a transaction with someone purchasing a house from him.
In response to Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, Oparanya mentioned that he sought conservatory orders in Kakamega due to harassment against his family, which caused him to feel frightened.
In a statement released on Friday, the EACC indicated that Oparanya still faces an unresolved corruption case, despite the DPP having previously withdrawn recommendations for his prosecution. This clarification followed Oparanya’s lawyers, Marende and Nyaundi Advocates, sending a letter to Parliament accusing the EACC of malice.
The anti-graft agency stated that it did not concur with the DPP’s decision to withdraw its earlier approval for charging the former governor.
“The Commission distances itself from these accusations by Oparanya’s lawyer Ken Nyaundi and clarifies that while it is true that on July 25, 2024, the ODPP delivered to the Commission a letter dated July 8, 2024, withdrawing the DPP’s decision of December 18, 2023, that had granted EACC consent to charge Oparanya, the Commission did not accept the DPP’s u-turn on the matter,” EACC stated.
“Instead, the Commission wrote back to the DPP reiterating its earlier recommendation to charge all suspects, including Wycliffe Oparanya.”
Oparanya in his letter said that it was surprising that whilst the EACC received the DPP’s communication on July 8, 2024, it still ignored the communication and went ahead and wrote to Parliament on July 29, 2024.
“There cannot be greater manifest malice,” he said.
Oparanya’s lawyers added that it is noteworthy that on the strength of the DPP’s letter and upon receipt of the same, the EACC should recognise that any claims of wrongdoing on the part of the former governor are rested and declined.
“We are instructed to inform you that neither investigation nor charges are pending against Hon Oparanya to merit any well-intentioned complaint against him. It is noteworthy that on the strength of the DPP’s letter and upon receipt of the same, the EACC should recognise that any claims of wrongdoing on the part of Hon Oparanya are rested and declined,” the law firm told Parliament.
