The hearing of the Sh1.57 billion National Treasury corruption case has been pushed back after the defence team was granted four months to review extensive documents submitted by the prosecution.
Anti-Corruption Court Magistrate Rose Ndobi approved the request following an application by lawyer Bare Musa, who told the court that the accused persons needed adequate time to examine the evidence provided by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).Musa explained that the prosecution had supplied a large volume of documents, most of which consisted of bank statements and financial records.
He argued that the material required a detailed examination by the accused persons and their legal representatives before they could adequately prepare their defence.
The lawyer maintained that the four-month period would allow the defence teams to scrutinise the documents and understand the financial transactions forming part of the prosecution’s case.
In a separate application, lawyer Danstan Omari asked the court to compel the EACC to provide all outstanding documents and ensure they were personally served on the parties involved in the case.
Omari said direct delivery of the documents would help overcome logistical challenges and ensure that every party received the necessary prosecution materials ahead of the hearing.
In her directions, Magistrate Ndobi urged both the prosecution and defence teams to avoid filing unnecessary applications that could slow down the proceedings.
She emphasised the need for the parties to cooperate and ensure the case progresses without avoidable delays.
Among those facing charges in the Sh1.57 billion scandal are PROFIT Programme Coordinator John Ngure Kabutha, National Treasury Head of Accounting Unit Namwel Moturi Motanya and Senior Accountant John Maina Muriithi.
Other accused persons include business proprietors and company directors Gladys Juliet Oroni, Brian Kiprop Chepkarat, Ian Kwemoi Chepkarat, Josephat Kamau Kamoshe, James Omwodo Ndai and Jimmy Carter Odoyo Osodo.
According to the charge sheet, Kabutha and Project Accountant Billy Otieno Obango are accused of abusing their positions by authorising payments amounting to hundreds of millions of shillings to various private businesses.
The prosecution is expected to rely heavily on financial documentation, including bank statements, to support its case against the accused persons.
The four-month window will give the defence teams time to examine the financial records and other materials before the matter proceeds to the hearing stage.
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