Kenya School of Law officials in Ksh 198m graft case released on bond

Six officials of the Kenya School of Law charged in the 198 million shillings’ graft case on Wednesday have been released on bond ranging from 3 million to 5 million shillings each.

The six who were charged with conspiracy to defraud 198 million shillings from the institution for goods not supplied denied the charges before Anti-corruption chief magistrate Lawrence Mugambi.

The six included the institutions Deputy Director/CEO Prof. Morris Kiwinda, Amos Mwangi the Assistant Director Finance and Administration, Frank Jackson Were the Finance Manager, Huson Lwigado the Accountant at the institution who is also the Proprietor of Ademwa Enterprises and Assistant Accountants Nobert Gondi and Ephraim Thuku.

Amos Mwangi, Jackson Were and Prof. Mbodenyi who also faced additional charge of fraudulently making payments from public revenue were released on a 5 million shillings cash bail with the rest of the accused released on a 3 million shillings cash bail.

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They are  being charged with fraudulently making payments from public revenue for goods not supplied, abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property, failure to disclose a private interest and conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption

The case will be mention on 8th June 2020.

The Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji on Tuesday ordered the arrest and prosecution of the 12 people, six of whom are senior employees at KSL over the payments.

The DPP said he established that the fraud was perpetrated by the bank signatories to the Kenya school of Law accounts who were senior employees at the Finance department who would sign for different entities to be paid in cheque endorsement register and the effect payments.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have so far managed to arrest eight individuals.

The business entities said to have received the money are Ademwa Enterprises, Ngoya Cosmetics, Frigoya Investments, Alfranc Investments, Firmline Company and Deskench Investments.

The  EACC says the entities were not in the list of pre-qualified suppliers and that they were paid for goods not published and services not rendered among other allegations.

The EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak on Tuesday directed that Ephrain Thuku-Former Accounts Assistant, KSL; Francis Mwake Lwigado-Director Alfrank Investments; Alfred Murange Lwigado-Director Deskench Investment and Dennis Sam Achiro-Director Deskench Investment present themselves at Integrity Center Immediately.

Meanwhile, the war on corruption is bearing fruit according to the EACC.

EACC says since 2014, 188 graft cases have been finalized in court, out of which 130 have resulted in convictions.

Speaking virtually during the 53rd Kenya Leadership and Integrity Forum, Mbarak highlighted some key milestones in the fight against corruption, which includes conviction of some of high-profile personalities.

He cited among others this week’s conviction of Sirisia MP John Walukhe in the National Cereals and Produce Board Maize scandal.

Walukhe will be sentenced on Thursday as well as co-accused Grace Wakhungu, the mother of former Environment Cabinet Secretary ambassador Judy Wakhungu.

Mbarak said that in the last five years, four serving Governors from Nairobi, Samburu, Busia, and Migori  counties have been charged as well as former Governors from Nairobi and Kiambu counties and three former Principal Secretaries.

The EACC CEO also observed that the anti-graft body had averted the loss of approximately Ksh20.4 Billion through proactive investigation and disruption of corruption networks.

He said assets (cash, moveable and immovable) worth about Kshs13.2 Billion have been recovered and surrendered back for public benefit.

Some of these include grabbed land for institutions of learning and government houses.