Moses Wetangula. | image source: the-star.co.ke
An investigation by BBC Panorama has alleged that Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula received a bribe from British American Tobacco (BAT) so as to sabotage anti-smoking laws in the country.
Wetangula is accused of having received the bribe in 2012 when he was the Minister of Trade.
According to an article published by , the investigation by BBC revealed that BAT paid Wetangula and other politicians in East Africa bribes of between 2 000 pounds and 20 000 pounds.
The allegations are made by a whistleblower by the name Paul Hopkins who worked for BAT in Kenya for 13 years.
In the interview with BBC where he made those allegations, Hopkins said that he was "a commercial hitman".
Hopkins was in the Irish Special Forces before joining BAT and he said that he was told that bribery was the cost of doing business in Africa.
"I was a commercial hitman. My job was to ensure that competition never got a breathing space," Hopkins told BBC.
He also admitted to bribing and intimidating commercial rivals of BAT.
In an article published by , Wetangula admitted to having being contacted by the BBC about Hopkins' allegations but he denies having had any dealings with BAT.
Wetangula said that he was shocked and upset by the allegations and would take legal action against anyone spreading crude rumors about him.
A preview of the BBC Panorama video which details the bribery allegations against BAT can be seen below.