The High Court has temporarily stopped the County Government of Kiambu from paying a balance of Ksh.166,295,500 to Filtronic International Limited, a company accused of fraudulently securing a multi-million-shilling tender for the supply and installation of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
In interim orders issued on October 31, Justice [Name withheld pending publication of the official court record] certified as urgent an application filed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) seeking to restrain the county from releasing the funds. The contested amount represents the remaining portion of a Ksh.230 million contract awarded to the firm in 2023.
The injunction will remain in effect for 14 days, pending the inter partes hearing of the matter scheduled for November 13, 2025.
Forgery and Conspiracy Allegations
In its petition filed before the High Court in Nairobi, the EACC accused six individuals, including top Kiambu County officials and directors of Filtronic International Limited, of engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the public by manipulating the tendering process.
Among those named in the suit are:
- Bernard Theuri, Chen Ligou, and Martha Wachinga — directors of Filtronic International Limited;
- Phyllis Muiruri — Acting Head of Supply Chain Management at the county; and
- Zachary Gitau — Chief Officer in charge of Revenue, Supply Chain Management, ICT, and Internal Audit.
According to the EACC, Filtronic International submitted forged audited financial statements, doctored bank records, and fake CVs of non-existent employees to meet the technical and financial qualifications required for the lucrative ERP tender.
The anti-graft body alleges that these falsified documents were instrumental in securing the contract, which was irregularly extended for another year despite its expiry in November 2023. “The purported extension signed in February 2024 was invalid as there was no existing contract capable of being extended,” the EACC argues in its affidavit.
Payments Already Made
Investigations by the Commission reveal that Filtronic International has already been paid Ksh.63,704,500 in multiple tranches between July 2023 and June 2025.
The EACC now wants the court to compel the company to refund the entire amount, terming the payments as proceeds of corruption and unjust enrichment.
In addition, the Commission seeks court declarations that:
- The tender award, the contract, and its subsequent extension were illegal, null, and void; and
- The county government should be permanently restrained from making further payments to the company.
County Under Scrutiny
The case adds to a growing list of corruption-related investigations targeting county governments over questionable ICT and ERP projects.
Analysts have previously warned that such systems, while useful in automating revenue collection and financial reporting, have become new avenues for graft through inflated contracts and falsified documentation.
If found guilty, the accused persons could face criminal prosecution under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act (2003) and Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act (2015) — offences that attract hefty fines, asset recovery, and jail terms.
The EACC has reiterated its commitment to protecting public funds and ensuring accountability at both national and county levels.
The case will continue on November 13, 2025, when all parties are expected to appear for a full hearing.
