Prisons officials in court over Ksh.302 million fraud case

Benjamin Obuya, the Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons and four others were on Monday charged at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court with the alleged fraudulent acquisition of Ksh.302 million purportedly as payment for goods never delivered.

Obuya, alongside fellow employees of the State Department for Correctional Services Joseph Kamau (Principal Accountant), James Nyang’au Gekobe (Accountant II), Joseph Ochoki Omaiyo (Warder), and businessman Steven Kisonzo Mulwa, are accused of conspiring to commit economic crimes.

Court documents say that between July 1, 2014, and March 29, 2018, the four fraudulently acquired public property totalling Ksh.301,908,000, supposedly for goods never received by the State Department for Correctional Services.

In addition to conspiracy charges, they are also accused of abuse of office, fraudulent acquisition of public property and money laundering.

Appearing before Principal Magistrate Celesa Asis Okore, all accused parties pleaded not guilty to the charges and were each released on a bond of Ksh.7 million with one surety of an equivalent amount or an alternative cash bail of Ksh.4 million.

The court further directed them to surrender their passports.

Prosecution counsel Wesley Nyamache requested the court to issue new summons against Humphrey Wende Abok and Joseph Kariuiki after they failed to appear in court for a second time which the court agreed with and issued fresh summons to the two.

The case is scheduled for mention on August 2.