Former Sports PS Kaberia arrested over Sh330 million CHAN funds scandal

Former Sports Principal Secretary Ambassador Peter Kirimi Kaberia has been arrested alongside five other suspects as investigations into the alleged loss of Sh330 million allocated for Kenya’s preparations to host the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) move to the prosecution stage.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) announced the arrests in a statement on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, following the approval of charges by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

DPP Renson Ingonga has approved graft-related charges against 10 individuals, including Kaberia, four other former government officials and five businessmen.

Several companies have also been listed for prosecution in connection with the alleged financial misconduct.

The suspects are expected to appear before the Anti-Corruption Court at Milimani, Nairobi, as the case formally enters the court process.

According to EACC, those arrested on Tuesday are:

Peter Kirimi Kaberia, former Principal Secretary, State Department for Sports Development;

Stephen Njoroge Muthuma, Senior Principal Finance Officer;

John Kiende Ruga, Senior Superintendent Engineer;

Samuel Mbaa Njoroge, a tax advisor and partner at Taxwise Africa;

Enock Ondwari Onditi, former Principal Accountant at the State Department for Sports Development; and

Anthony Mwangi Kimathi, a former employee of Instalaciones Inabensa, S.A.

EACC has also directed four other individuals to present themselves immediately at Integrity Centre or the nearest commission office.

The case centres on a USD15.89 million contract, equivalent to approximately Sh1.5 billion, awarded in 2017 by the then State Department for Sports Development in the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts to Auditel Kenya, a Spanish company registered in Kenya.

The contract covered the supply and installation of security, access control, communications, audio-visual and pitch lighting systems at various stadiums ahead of the planned CHAN tournament.

EACC says its investigations established that an advance payment of USD3.15 million, approximately Sh330 million, was made to the company under a contract that had not been procured in accordance with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015.

The commission alleges that the company subsequently failed to fulfil its contractual obligations, resulting in the loss of the Sh330 million.

EACC further says the money was transferred through various entities in an effort to conceal its source and facilitate its movement back to Kenya.

The ODPP said it independently reviewed the investigation file submitted by EACC and determined that there were sufficient grounds to prosecute the suspects and companies involved.

The suspects and companies are set to face charges including abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property, failure to comply with procurement laws, acquisition of proceeds of crime and financial misconduct.

The companies named in the ODPP case are Auditel Kenya, Taxwise Consulting Limited, Restea Enterprises Limited, Lease Pride Limited, Leasepath Limited and Liroma Assurance.

Former Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa, who had previously been investigated in relation to the matter, is not among the individuals listed for prosecution in the ODPP announcement.

EACC has also initiated civil proceedings seeking the recovery and forfeiture of public funds and assets allegedly acquired through proceeds of crime arising from the matter.

Kenya had been selected to host the 2018 CHAN tournament, but the country was stripped of the hosting rights after failing to meet the required preparations and infrastructure standards.

The tournament was subsequently moved to Morocco.

Kenya would later return to the CHAN spotlight as one of the co-hosts of the 2024 edition, which was eventually staged in August 2025 alongside Uganda and Tanzania.

Kenya hosted matches at venues including Kasarani and Nyayo, with Morocco eventually winning the tournament.