The trial of Agriculture Principal Secretary Richard Lesiyampe and former managing director of the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) Newton Terer among other suspects over the purchase of two million bags of maize will start on Monday.
The senior government officials are accused of conspiring to defraud the agency of Sh468.9 million meant for farmers through irregular purchase of maize at the North Rift depot.
Dr Lesiyampe, Mr Terer and NCPB General Manager Finance Cornel Kiprotich denied a total of seven counts in the purchase of the maize meant for the Strategic Food Reserve.
Dr Lesiyampe denied three counts of failure to comply with laws and procedures relating to the management of public funds, being the accounting officer and the administrator of the Strategic Food Reserve Fund.
They are accused of failing to adhere to provisions of Public Finance Management Act by incurring an expenditure of Sh5.6 billion for the 2017/18 financial year without approval from the Strategic Food Reserve Oversight Board (SFROB).
It is alleged that he committed the offence between October 2017 and April, 2018.
Mr Terer is alleged to have failed to ensure compliance with NCPB guidelines on grain intake operations and as a result went beyond the SFROB approved budget.
Mr Kiprotich on his part denied charges of neglect of official duty after failing to ensure that funds allocated for the purchase of maize from registered and vetted farmers are spent in accordance with the NCPB Board guidelines on grain operations intake.
Other suspects named in the charge sheet include the accounts clerk at NCPB, Eldoret depot Ms Caroline Kipchoge Cherono, Eldoret Silo Manager Renson Kibet Korir, records officer Mr Erick Kipketer Talam and County Director Agriculture Joseph Kipruto Cheboi.
They face charges of wilful failure to comply with the law relating to management of public property, unauthorised spending of public funds, conspiracy to defraud and neglect of official duty.
Others are Ms Virginia Waimatha Njoroge, Mr Willie Kipkoech Sang, Ms Celestine Chepchirchir, Mr Paul Kipyego Marus, Ms Caroline Chepchumba, Mr Stephen Kiprop, Mr Peter Chirchir and Mr David Barngetuny Korir.