1. Big shots charged
Principal Secretary for Youth and Gender Affairs Lillian Omollo-Mbogo, NYS Director-General Richard Ndubai, his assistant Nicholas Ahere, former director Sammy Michuki and Finance Director Wellington Lubira led the list of top managers who faced several charges of defrauding NYS Sh468 million.
Ms Omollo, Ndubai, Ahere, Michuki and 30 other NYS officials were charged on five counts of conspiracy to commit economic crimes, wilful failure to comply with procurement rules and abuse of office leading to the loss of Sh28 million.
“Between January 2015 and June 2017, the accused persons jointly engaged in a conspiracy and scheme to defraud NYS by paying Sh28,766,700 to Ameri Trade Limited for goods not supplied to NYS,” read the charge sheet.
NYS officials were also charged with conspiracy to defraud the State Sh26 million by making payments to several companies without following the right procedures.
2. The Ngiritas
The Family of four whose company trading by the name Annwaw Investments Limited was allegedly paid close to Sh60 million for supplying nothing to NYS.
The accused were Ann Ngirita, Lucy Ngirita, Phylis Njeri and Jeremiah Ngirita were dragged into court after were charged with fraudulently acquiring public property.
Jeremiah Ngirita, who was trading as Jerrycathy Enterprises, was said to have illegally acquired and hid the Sh72 million at his bank account with Kenya Commercial Bank.
The family had been arrested at their Lakeview Estate near Naivasha town and spent the night at the Muthaiga Police Station with the two babies.
“On diverse dates between January 19, 2015 and June 12, 2017 in Nairobi, they fraudulently acquired property worth Sh59,846,750 as payment to Ann Wanjiku Ngirita of Annwaw Investment for goods not supplied,” read the charge sheet. They pleaded not guilty.
3. The small fry
Also charged were junior employees who included storekeepers, examiners, invoicers, IFMIS buyers, accountants and cheque approvers said to have had a hand in the chain of operations leading to loss of public funds.
4. Treasury staff
Four internal auditors from the National Treasury directly linked to approving payments of government funds were also charged.
They are: Lucas Owino, Stephen Riungu, Josephat Njoroge and Peter Muthomi.
5. The chief magistrate
The 54 suspects in the NYS corruption scandal were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti at Milimani Law Courts to take pleas in a lengthy court session that dragged into the night.
The intrigues of the charges saw anti-corruption Chief Magistrate Ogoti sitting late into the night after he declined to adjourn the matter to today.
Events
May 30: The Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji appeals to the public to volunteer any information they may have on the corruption scandal NYS.
Through his Twitter account, Haji states that any information volunteered will assist in the prosecution of the case.
May 29: The 54 NYS suspects arraigned before court, plead not guilty.
May 28: At least 20 suspects among them NYS Director General Richard Ndubai arrested in connection with the Sh9 billion NYS scandal.
May 25: Public Service PS Lillian Omollo appears before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, refutes claims that Sh9billion was lost at the National Youth Service.
Omollo stated that the Auditor General gave the department a clean bill of health during the 2016/2017 financial period, the time the funds are said to have been lost.
May 21: Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr joins other leaders demanding NYS to be disbanded following the latest Sh9 billion fraud claims at the institution. Kilonzo Jr says the body should instead be restructured and placed under a substantive ministry as a department.
May 18: President Uhuru Kenyatta accepts the offer by PS Lillian Omollo, and NYS Director-General Richard Ndubai to step aside for three months and pave way for a probe into irregular payment of Sh9 billion for services delivered to the youth agency.
May 12: Public outrage as another multi-billion shillings graft scandal is unearthed at the National Youth Service (NYS).
