Silverio Omari
Six of the thirteen individuals implicated in the embezzlement of Ksh.450.14 million at the State Department of Correctional Services have pleaded not guilty to corruption charges.
The six, including cleaner Eric Mutai, appeared before the Milimani High Court on Friday. They, along with several companies that allegedly received funds intended for prison supplies, faced charges.
Each of the six was granted a cash bail of Ksh.4 million. The prosecution did not oppose their bail but requested arrest warrants for the remaining suspects who were absent. The defense lawyers sought lenient bail terms, arguing that the accused were middle-level civil servants and cautioning against being swayed by the large sum mentioned in the charges.
Mutai, a cleaner at the department and director of seven companies that reportedly received Ksh.257 million of the embezzled funds, was arrested on Thursday by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives. Later, four more suspects, including Sarah Kemunto Kerandi (Chief Finance Officer), Moses Juma Sirengo (Principal Accountant), Jack Nyariango Ogao (Accountant), and Maureen Ndungwa (Director of one of the involved companies), were also apprehended.
The EACC ordered the remaining eight individuals of interest to appear before the Commission on Friday at 8 am. However, their failure to comply led the prosecution to seek arrest warrants for them.
The absentees include Benjamin Njoga (Former Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons), Mageto Omani Mirieri (Assistant Director Supply Chain Management Services), Joseph Kamau Mwangi (Head of Accounts), and accountants Humphrey Wende Abok and Jack Nyariango Ogao. Also named were Ochoki Joseph Omaiyo (Prison Warder), Stephen Kisonzo Mulwa (Director of eight implicated companies), and Joseph Kariuki Mwangi, a director of one of the involved companies.
Dj Vnyash
