wakimani
Elder Lister
NTV has documented former CBK Deputy Governor Jacinta Mwatela’s 32 years at the Central Bank and the scandals she says she encountered.
Here are the full highlights from the scandals.
Let’s start with the Goldenberg scandal.Jacinta Mwatela says she raised concerns over export compensation claims because there were no documents showing that the exports had actually taken place.
She says Swiss Air Flight 285 was repeatedly used to handle the supposed exports, which raised questions for her.
Mwatela says the documents did not show that goods had actually been exported, but CBK still continued making the payments.
She says Exchange Bank was later created to get around the normal CBK procedures.
The second issue:
Kamlesh PattniMwatela says Kamlesh Pattni was treated like a king at CBK and would walk into her office without an appointment.
She says Pattni wanted her to approve Goldenberg-related export compensation payments, but she refused because the documents did not prove the exports had taken place
The third issue:
Refusing to sign questionable documentsMwatela says she was often presented with documents that she believed were incomplete or unsupported and was expected to sign them.
She says she refused because she did not want her signature on documents she could not explain or defend later.
According to Mwatela, one such refusal involved an import licence whose purpose she did not understand.
She says she was later transferred from the department because she refused to sign the document.
The fourth issue:
Punitive transfers
Mwatela says she was repeatedly transferred after questioning decisions at CBK.At one point, she says Governor Micah Cheserem gave her six hours to move offices and transferred her to bank supervision.
(She says the transfers were meant to isolate her for insisting on following the rules).
The fifth issue:
Government borrowing its own money
Mwatela says five commercial banks appointed to collect customs duty for the government were instead using the money to buy Treasury bills.In simple terms, she says the government was collecting money through the banks, then borrowing the same money back.
The sixth issue:
Charterhouse Bank
Mwatela says she discovered serious problems at Charterhouse Bank, including alleged money laundering and the misuse of customers’ deposits.
She concluded that the bank should be closed, but says she faced strong resistance when she tried to shut it down.
The seventh issue:
Grand Regency Hotel
Mwatela says she questioned why Kamlesh Pattni was involved in discussions over the Grand Regency Hotel, which was being held as collateral by CBK.
She insisted that CBK be properly represented in the discussions and that her disagreement be officially recorded.
The eighth issue:
Currency-printing tender
Mwatela says she encountered irregularities in a tender for printing Kenya’s currency.
She says she refused to chair a tender meeting because she believed the procurement process was against the law.
The ninth issue:
Destruction of documents
Mwatela says documents linked to the Goldenberg case were destroyed while she was already in court over the matter.
She says the documents were important evidence and questioned why they were destroyed.
Now you know
Here are the full highlights from the scandals.
Let’s start with the Goldenberg scandal.Jacinta Mwatela says she raised concerns over export compensation claims because there were no documents showing that the exports had actually taken place.
She says Swiss Air Flight 285 was repeatedly used to handle the supposed exports, which raised questions for her.
Mwatela says the documents did not show that goods had actually been exported, but CBK still continued making the payments.
She says Exchange Bank was later created to get around the normal CBK procedures.
The second issue:
Kamlesh PattniMwatela says Kamlesh Pattni was treated like a king at CBK and would walk into her office without an appointment.
She says Pattni wanted her to approve Goldenberg-related export compensation payments, but she refused because the documents did not prove the exports had taken place
The third issue:
Refusing to sign questionable documentsMwatela says she was often presented with documents that she believed were incomplete or unsupported and was expected to sign them.
She says she refused because she did not want her signature on documents she could not explain or defend later.
According to Mwatela, one such refusal involved an import licence whose purpose she did not understand.
She says she was later transferred from the department because she refused to sign the document.
The fourth issue:
Punitive transfers
Mwatela says she was repeatedly transferred after questioning decisions at CBK.At one point, she says Governor Micah Cheserem gave her six hours to move offices and transferred her to bank supervision.
(She says the transfers were meant to isolate her for insisting on following the rules).
The fifth issue:
Government borrowing its own money
Mwatela says five commercial banks appointed to collect customs duty for the government were instead using the money to buy Treasury bills.In simple terms, she says the government was collecting money through the banks, then borrowing the same money back.
The sixth issue:
Charterhouse Bank
Mwatela says she discovered serious problems at Charterhouse Bank, including alleged money laundering and the misuse of customers’ deposits.
She concluded that the bank should be closed, but says she faced strong resistance when she tried to shut it down.
The seventh issue:
Grand Regency Hotel
Mwatela says she questioned why Kamlesh Pattni was involved in discussions over the Grand Regency Hotel, which was being held as collateral by CBK.
She insisted that CBK be properly represented in the discussions and that her disagreement be officially recorded.
The eighth issue:
Currency-printing tender
Mwatela says she encountered irregularities in a tender for printing Kenya’s currency.
She says she refused to chair a tender meeting because she believed the procurement process was against the law.
The ninth issue:
Destruction of documents
Mwatela says documents linked to the Goldenberg case were destroyed while she was already in court over the matter.
She says the documents were important evidence and questioned why they were destroyed.
Now you know
