Equity Bank has denied having any links with deported Turkish national Harun Aydin, an associate of Deputy President William Ruto, or loaning him Sh15 billion as the DP had alleged.

Equity Managing Director Gerald Warui told Parliament that Aydin had no loan facility or account with the bank as has been claimed by Ruto during a recent interview on Inooro fm.

Warui also denied knowledge of any phone call the Deputy President had made to the bank to facilitate the said transaction on the Sh15 billion with Equity Bank in Kenya. 

"I am not aware of the said phone call, we have very many senior managers and board members so I will try find out," said Warui.

He added, "Turkish businessman Harun Aydin doesn’t have any relationship with Equity bank. He’s not our Customer, doesn’t posses any credit facility from us."

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The National Assembly Committee on Finance and Planning had last week summoned Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi to shed light on the claims the bank issued the loan to Aydin.

Warui further denied the bank loaning such an amount to any entity in Uganda. 

"Day group is our customer in Uganda but we have not lent Sh15 billion to any of our customers in Uganda. Uganda can only lend around Sh2.3 billion to individuals that's the cap," he added. 

The Kenya government deported the Turk on August 9 with Interior CS Fred Matiang’i linking Aydin to money-laundering and illegal movement into and out of Kenya a number of times.

Ruto had claimed he helped Aydin to secure the Sh15 billion to set up a vaccine plant in Uganda, while leaders in his camp led by Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi claimed he was a fruits investor.