NITA boss charged over Sh4.8 million tender

Director General NITA Stephen Ogenga speaking during the launch of Government Trade Test. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) Director General Stephen Ogenga has been charged with awarding Sh4.8 million tender for the supply and repair of training machines to a company.

Ogenga appearing before Milimani Anti-Corruption Court magistrate Zipporah Gichana denied the charges.

He was accused of being NITA's boss, he allegedly used his office to improperly confer a benefit of Sh4,800,654 to Xponics Limited.

Further, Ogenga was accused of allegedly authorising payments to the said company in respect of a tender for the supply delivery, installation, training, servicing, maintenance and repair of sewing and training machines.

According to investigations, Ogenga committed the offense between January 31, 2019, and June 30, 2021.

The accused was charged alongside former NITA boss Paul Kipsang Kosgei who did not plead to the charges.

"Your honour my client Kosgei is at his rural home in Keiyo where he is sick and we plead with the court to defer his plea taking to Wednesday (tomorrow)," said the accused's lawyer Kirathe Wandugi. 

In the same case, Xponics Limited, James Waweru and Sheila Wambui were accused of fraudulently acquiring public property worth Sh10 million by presenting a falsified bid to ensure an unfair advantage in respect to tender No. NITA/12/2017-201 for the supply of training machines for FY2017/2018.

The prosecution said they committed the offense by being a limited liability company and its directors between April 15, 2019, and June 30, 2021.

They faced another charge of allegedly engaging in fraudulent practice by submitting a falsified bid in a tender between December 31, 2016, and June 20, 2018.

The prosecution did not object to the accused being released on bail but asked the magistrate to order them to deposit their passports in court.

Gichana ordered the accused to deposit their passports in court and not to interfere with witnesses in the case.

Kosgei who is the first accused on the charge sheet was ordered by the magistrate to present himself in court tomorrow for plea-taking.

Ogenga, Waweru and Wambui were each released on a bond of Sh5 million or pay a cash bail of Sh1 million with one surety each.

The case will be mentioned on June 19.