CEPEP Company Ltd CEO Keith Eddy has sworn that he refused to approve a three-year extension of hundreds of contractor agreements without Cabinet approval because of concerns about a possible $1.4 billion government spending commitment.

Eddy, who has led the state-owned company since 2016, said in an affidavit filed in the High Court that he faced “intense pressure” from former Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al-Rawi and other officials to extend the contracts and add new contractors. He claimed no written proof of Cabinet approval or additional funding was ever provided.

Eddy’s affidavit, submitted in defence of Cepep in an ongoing case brought by Eastman Enterprises Ltd, details WhatsApp exchanges with former Cepep chairman Joel Edwards and a ministry official. Eddy said he was urged to renew all contracts and hire 12 additional contractors, assuring him that “we will babysit to ensure that the paperwork you require runs smoothly.”