By Evelyn Kwamboka
Former Vice President, Prof George Saitoti, was on Wednesday questioned over his role in the Goldenberg scandal.
It took him more than five hours to explain to the detectives at CID headquarters, why he granted 15 per cent ex-gratia payments for gold and diamonds to Goldenberg International Limited in 1990.
"I had a candid discussion with the officers and explained my role in the 15 per cent ex-gratia genesis and how it was handled," he said.
This was over and above the 20 per cent export compensation that was stipulated under the Export Compensation Act.
Saitoti said he had nothing to do with the Sh5.8 billion and Sh13.5 billion paid between April and August 1993.
"It is not me who triggered the payments in Goldenberg. I was not there in 1993 or at the Central Bank of Kenya," he said.
The payments were made during former VP Musalia Mudavadi’s tenure. Mudavadi was the first to be questioned over the scandal by the detectives on Tuesday.
Saitoti, who declined to comment on Tuesday on the Goldenberg matter, saying it was in court, arrived in the company of his lawyer, Fred Ngatia, at the CID headquarters.
The Kajiado North MP had lunch, brought in by a catering firm, with the officers as they continued to gather information from him.
"I did come here in order to assist with the investigations. I had nothing to do with the Sh5.8 billion," he said.
Saitoti told journalists that it "would not be prudent" for him to discuss details of the matter since he had already moved to court.
The court barred police from arresting and charging him last week on the offences based on the Bosire report on the Goldenberg scandal.
Justice John Nyamu granted Prof Saitoti temporary leave to challenge the findings of the report handed over to the President on February 3
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