Six plead not guilty in Ksh.450M prison funds scam, granted Ksh.4M bail each

Six of the thirteen individuals implicated in the embezzlement of funds amounting to Ksh.450.14 million at the State Department of Correctional Services have pleaded not guilty to corruption charges.

The six, including cleaner Eric Mutai, were charged before the Milimani High Court on Friday alongside several companies that reportedly received the cash meant to acquire prison supplies.

They were subsequently granted a cash bail of Ksh.4 million each. The prosecution did not oppose their release on bail but applied for warrants of arrest to be issued to the remaining suspects who were not present to take plea.

Similarly, the lawyers representing the accused persons applied for lenient bail terms, urging the magistrate that the accused persons were middle-level civil servants

"The court should not be convinced by the large sum of money alleged on the charge sheet as the truth will unfold in the cause of the hearing," the lawyers argued.

Mutai, a cleaner from the aforesaid department and director of seven companies which reportedly received Ksh.257 million of the embezzled funds was arrested on Thursday by detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

Later in the day, four more suspects implicated in the scandal were also apprehended by detectives.

They are; Sarah Kemunto Kerandi (Chief Finance Officer), Moses Juma Sirengo (Principal Accountant), Jack Nyariango Ogao (Accountant) and Maureen Ndungwa (Director of one of the companies involved).

EACC likewise ordered the eight remaining persons of interest to appear before the Commission on Friday at 8 am. However, they appear not to have adhered to the order, prompting the prosecution to request arrest warrants for them.

They are; 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.

The rest are; Ochoki Joseph Omaiyo (Prison Warder), Stephen Kisonzo Mulwa (Director of eight of the companies involved) and Joseph Kariuki Mwangi, a director of one of the companies involved.