Controversial businesswoman and self-proclaimed owner of the mysterious and contested Sh17billion fuel consignment Anne Njeri Njoroge today failed to appear before the National Assembly Committee on Energy for grilling as scheduled.
Instead, her lawyer, counsel Cliff Ombeta said his client fell ill and could not appear before the lawmakers as earlier planned saying he could not reveal the details of the illness.
Further, Ombeta said they also will not honor the request to appear before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) saying they have been getting the invite through other lawyers.
She was summoned by the committee to shed light on oil saga as the House committee launch probe on the contested oil shipment.
Further, Ombeta said they will only appear before the investigating agency if a formal communication is made because the last time she disappeared after recording a statement.
The counsel added that Njeri is fearing for her life from the past incident.
“We have declined to appear before the energy committee. The official position is that our client is unwell and I will not reveal details of her illness.” Ombeta stated.
“We will also not honor the summons by the DCI. They cannot be calling us through other lawyers and telling us to go. They need to do it in a formal manner because you remember last time she disappeared after appearing there. We are afraid they will do harm to her; she is fearing for life.” Ombeta added.
The Energy committee had invited Njeri to provide evidence and proof that she is the owner of the Sh17billion oil consignment through her firm, Ann’s Import & export Enterprises Limited.
The legislators’ letter to Njeri indicated that she was supposed to the origin of the consignment and the intended destination, the indicators of pricing and also the details of the current government to government arrangement for the particular deal.
The Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir had earlier on indicated that the oil belongs to Galana Energies, one of the companies that was contracted for the G to G deal.
The committee chaired by Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka was also expected to meet CS Chirchir tomorrow but have had to postpone it due to Njeri’s failure to appear before the committee.
According to the committee, the businesswoman is supposed be interrogated before the CS hence the two interrogations moved to a further date.
