[JURIST] Four former senior Kenyan government officials and a top businessman are to be charged with corruption for their roles in a $1 billion scam known as the Goldenberg affair [BBC report; Wikipedia backgrounder]. The graft charges will be the first laid by the administration of President Mwai Kibaki [official profile], who was elected to office in 2002 due largely to his promises to clean up widespread government corruption but had so far failed make any significant arrests. Last month, Kibaki’s current education and energy ministers both resigned [JURIST report] after being implicated, but not charged, in the Goldenberg case while serving in the previous regime.

The Goldenberg affair involved a bogus gold and diamond import/export business known as Goldenberg International which fleeced government funds - mostly composed of Western donations - under the not-so-watchful eye of former President Daniel arap Moi [official profile], whose 24 year regime has become a synonym in the country for fraud. Reuters has more.