Triton scandal mastermind finally cornered after 15 years on the run
5:08:2024: The Anti-Corruption Court Milimani has today granted Prosecution leave to detain Yagnesh Devani, the director of Triton Petroleum Company Limited, until tomorrow, when he will be formally charged in a Kes7.6 billion petroleum products scandal.
EACC arrested Mr. Devani today pursuant to a warrant of arrest issued in 2009. The Commission investigated the allegations of irregular release of 126 million litres of petroleum products worth Kes7.6 billion by the Kenya Pipeline Co. Ltd to Triton Petroleum Co. Ltd in breach of a Collateral Financing Agreement involving Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC).
Upon the conclusion of the investigations, several persons were charged on June 16, 2009, at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court. However, Mr. Devani, the key suspect, fled the country and never took a plea. On 17 June 2009, the Commission obtained a warrant of arrest against him that remained in force. The trial against the other suspects proceeded to closure.
In collaboration with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Commission initiated extradition proceedings in August 2009 to bring back Mr. Yagnesh Devani from the United Kingdom to face charges leveled against him, which he challenged.
All the cases in which he challenged his extradition were dismissed by the Apex Court in the United Kingdom vide Court of Appeal in Secretary of State for Home Department vs. Yagnesh Mohanlal Devani (2020) EWCA Civ 612, whose judgment was delivered on 7 May 2020.
After 15 years as a fugitive, Mr. Devani was extradited to Kenya on 23rd January 2024 and charged in Milimani CMCR Case Number E072 of 2024 R v. Yagnesh Mohanlal Devani & Another.
On January 29, 2024, the Commission wrote to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), recommending that Mr. Yagnesh Mohanlal Devani be charged separately.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) wrote to the Commission on July 25, 2024, with instructions to draft a fresh charge sheet for Mr. Devani’s prosecution. Consequently, on August 6th, 2024, the Commission arrested Mr. Devani and arraigned him.
