Top Government Official Among 5 Charged With Sh302 Million Fraud

Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Benjamin Obuya and four other government officials have been charged with allegedly obtaining Sh302 million fraudulently.

In a statement released by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on Monday, July 22, the five appeared before Principal Magistrate Celesa Asis Okore and were charged with conspiracy to commit economic crimes.

The ODPP detailed the charges, stating, “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.”

According to the charges, between July 1, 2014, and March 29, 2018, they fraudulently acquired public property totaling Ksh301,908,000, purportedly for goods never received by the State Department for Correctional Services.

In addition to conspiracy charges, the Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons and his colleagues were also accused of abuse of office and fraudulent acquisition of public property.

“They are also accused of Abuse of Office under Section 46 and Section 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act No. 3 of 2003, Fraudulent Acquisition of Public Property under Section 45(1)(a) and Section 48 of the same Act, and Money Laundering under Section 3(a)(i) and Section 16 of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act,” the ODPP remarked.

All five defendants denied the charges against them. They were released on a Sh7 million bond each, with a surety of the same amount, or an alternative cash bail of Sh4 million.

The court further ordered them to surrender their passports to prevent any potential flight risk.

Additionally, the prosecution requested the court to re-summon two other suspects who failed to appear in court for a second time.

The court agreed to this request, ensuring that all individuals involved in the case would be held accountable.

The matter is set to be mentioned again on August 2, 2024, as the legal proceedings continue.

This case highlights the ongoing efforts to address corruption and economic crimes within the government, aiming to uphold integrity and accountability in public service.