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Top Nairobi county officials charged with fraud


A top Nairobi County official and two other senior employees were Thursday charged with defrauding City Hall of millions of shillings in shady procurement deals.

County Secretary Lilian Wanjiru Ndegwa, Ms Regina Chepkemoi and Ms Nancy Waithera, the county head of budgeting, were accused of embezzling Sh17.9 million.

Chief Finance Officer Jimmy Kiamba and head of accounting Stephen Ogaga, who were not in court, were charged alongside the three women.

IMPREST ACCOUNT

The court heard that between November 1, 2013 and December 3, 2014 the employees conspired to fraudulently obtain funds from the imprest account of the county government.

Ms Wanjiru, Ms Chepkemoi and Ms Waithera denied the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndwiga and were freed on a cash bail of Sh2 million each or a bond of Sh5 million with surety.

In one count, Ms Ndegwa and Mr Kiamba allegedly gave Ms Chepkemoi Sh650,000 purporting it to be for the repair and servicing of computers and printers.

The two face an alternative count of deceptively making payment from public revenue for services that were not rendered.

Ms Ndegwa and Mr Kiamba have also been accused of instructing a manager at the City Hall branch of Cooperative Bank to pay Ms Chepkemoi Sh750,000 purporting the cash was for the purchase of toners and computer accessories.

The items were never delivered, it is alleged.

PURCHASING STATIONERY

The court also heard that on October 30, 2014 Ms Ndegwa and Mr Kiamba fraudulently obtained Sh700,000 from the county coffers on the pretext of purchasing stationery which was not supplied.

Ms Chepkemoi also faces charges of uttering false documents claiming to be a quotation of Sh112,500 purportedly as payment for the fitting of vertical blinds in the office of the county treasurer.

Ms Wanjiru, Ms Chepkemoi and Ms Waithera were arrested on Wednesday evening.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission officers were yesterday hunting for Mr Kiamba and Mr Ogaga.

The case will be mentioned on April 16 and hearing is set for June 23.