The ksh 226 million stolen from the NYS coffers can be used to train at least 3,000 youths for at least one year. This is according to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
More worrying for Kenyans, is this amount is just a drop in the ocean when you compare with the more than ksh 8 billion that was siphoned from the NYS coffers in the scandal that has been dubbed NYS Season II.
It is for these reasons, that the DPP is seeking maximum sentences for all the 37 accused persons in the case among them former NYS boss Richard Ndubai and ex-PS Lilian Omollo.
The hearing of the case kicked off on Wednesday October 31 with Lead counsel Joseph Riungu saying that they have enough evidence to convict all the suspects.
”The case in court is obscure but ruthless fly-by night briefcase companies business entities which swooped away a massive Ksh.226 million being just a tip of Ksh.8 billion which was siphoned from the NYS coffers for goods not delivered with the assistance of the accused persons, who were public officers in the State Department of Public Service and youth,”said the prosecution.
In his opening remarks the DPP submitted that they will be seeking to forfeit and confiscate the accused person’s assets at the end of the trial.
They told trial Magistrate Douglas Ogoti they intend to demonstrate that the acts and omissions were not just negligent but well calculated schemes to siphon public funds.
Riungu said that former PS Lilian Omollo as the accounting Officer for the State Department of Public Service and Youth, did not utilise the funds in accordance with the law and was not accountable to the National Assembly and Treasury.
The court further heard Omollo was mandated to sign the contracts and sends a circular to all MDAs with the contracts for use when appropriate.
“We shall endeavor to demonstrate that in this case, the circulars used were forged, genuine contractors numbers were forged” the prosecution said.
Riungu further stated that they will show how several banks were used to receive and pay out fraudulent amounts of money.
According to the DPP, once the amounts landed into the accounts, they would instantly be withdrawn either in cash or transferred to other accounts including Standard Chartered Bank, Equity Bank and Kenya Commercial Bank.
The DPP said that it will show to the court how money was transferred from one account to another saying that most of the transaction by Ngirita’s were conducted at the Gilgil, Naivasha, Village Market and Hurligham Branches.