The government has been able to freeze only Ksh100 million assets from the Ngirita family, which received over Ksh361 million from the National Youth Service (NYS) between November 2015 and April 2018. The rest might never be recovered, as it has emerged that the monies were moved before prosecution began.
This is evidenced in court documents showing that the state was able to freeze five parcels of land in Nakuru, Naivasha and Trans Nzoia and three Toyota cars estimated at Ksh95 million belonging to the family.
The bank accounts where the money was stashed are not mentioned, indicating that there could be zero balance. It is reported that the Ngirita’s family, where three members are implicated in the Ksh468 million NYS scandal, moved big amounts of money before prosecution began. The three include Ms Phyllis Njeri, Mr Jeremiah Gichini Ngirita and their mother Mrs Lucy Wambui Ngirita.
Mrs Ngirita received Sh211 million from NYS through her companies which she used to buy properties while she transferred the rest to her personal accounts. She later would withdraw/transfer what remained when things got hot just before prosecution. With the money, she bought a Ksh46 million plot in Naivasha, another in Nakuru for Ksh7 million, another in Kitale for Ksh20 million among other things.
On the other hand, Ms Njeri received Ksh57.2 million from NYS which was paid to her personal account contrary to procurement rules. Not even a shilling has been recovered.