Former NYS boss Nelson Githinji charged with abuse of office

Former National Youth Service (NYS) Director Nelson Githinji (right) and Chief Inspector Nicholas Juma Makokha at the Milimani Law Courts yesterday, where they denied charges of abuse of office and defrauding NYS. [PHOTO: FIDELIS KABUNYI/STANDARD

NAIROBI: Former National Youth Service (NYS) Director General Nelson Githinji and two senior officials have been charged with abuse of office.

The three were also charged with conspiracy to defraud and fraudulent acquisition of Government property.

Dr Githinji appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate Kennedy Bidali of the Anti-Corruption Court yesterday, where he denied the charges alongside Chief Inspector of NYS Nicholas Juma Makokha and Senior Superintendent Mechanic at the institution Geofrey Kimani Kiriha.

The three were released on a surety bond of Sh1 million with an alternative cash bail of Sh200,000. In January, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) recommended that Githinji, alongside his personal assistant, Makokha and Kiriha be charged with abuse of office.

Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko said on June 4, 2014 at NYS headquarters in Ruaraka, Nairobi, Githinji used his office as director to improperly confer a benefit of Sh497, 355 to himself as cost for repair of his private vehicle. Makokha is accused of also using his office as inspector of NYS and personal assistant to Githinji to facilitate the repair of the vehicle.

Githinji, Makokha and Kiriha were also charged with conspiring to defraud NYS of the cash by repairing the said vehicle on account of NYS.

According to the prosecution, Githinji, who faces an additional count of fraudulent acquisition of Government property, allegedly serviced and repaired his private vehicle on June 10, 2014 by purporting the cost was incurred by NYS vehicle GK Z 185.

Yesterday, defence lawyers Miller Bwire and Roland Oyieko pleaded with the court to release their clients on the Sh100,000 they had deposited at EACC during investigations. But State counsel Irine Gatheru opposed the request, saying the case ought not to be bound by EACC's cash bail. Bidali varied the cash bail from the Sh300,000 he had initially granted the accused to Sh200,000 but the bond terms remained the same. Last week, Tobiko said there was sufficient evidence to charge the three. The case will be mentioned on March 3.