The envoys say there must be decisive action against the vice/FILE
NAIROBI, May 30 – Eighteen foreign diplomats have commended ongoing multi-agency efforts to prosecute individuals connected to the Sh468 million fraud at the National Youth Service (NYS).
Led by the US Ambassador Robert Godec, the 18 in a statement released Wednesday afternoon lauded the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for charging officials connected to the NYS saga.
“We welcome the recent action by the DPP, working with the DCI, to charge officials and others in connection with reports of widespread corruption at the NYS,” they said in a joint statement.
The diplomats also welcomed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s commitment to combating corruption while asking the Judiciary to take swift action in strict conformity with the law to ensure charged individuals are accorded fair trial.
“We also welcome President Kenyatta’s statements and actions to address the corruption scourge. We urge that Kenya’s Judiciary takes swift action, consistent with the rule of law, to ensure fair trials and justice,” the statement signed by among others United Kingdom High Commissioner, Nic Hailey, read.
The envoys pledged to support ongoing efforts to fight corruption by providing support to relevant agencies tackling graft while calling upon Kenyans to support the anti-graft campaign.
“No country is free of corruption, and many of ours have faced challenges. There are no shortcuts to tackling the problem. It requires strong Kenyan political leadership, a commitment to zero tolerance for corruption, and all government and law enforcement agencies working together,” they pointed out.
They warned against the politicization of the ongoing war on corruption, saying those found guilty of stealing public funds should be held accountable regardless of their ethnicity, political party, or religion.
The diplomats urged the government to ensure corruptly acquired wealth is seized from individuals convicted of corruption.
“Individuals or organizations found guilty of stealing should be held accountable, to include forfeiting the proceeds of their crimes,” the envoys recommended.
The statement came a day after 24 individuals were arraigned before a Milimani Magistrate’s Court in Nairobi on Tuesday to face corruption-related charges over irregular payments amounting to Sh468 million in which 10 companies are said to have swindled money from public coffers without supplying any goods or services to the NYS.
The 24 – among them Public Service and Youth Affairs Principal Secretary Lillian Omollo and NYS Director-General Richard Ndubai – pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit offenses of corruption and abusing public office at a court session that ran late into the night.
Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti also ordered some 30 suspects who were not present when the 24 were charged to surrender to the DCI by Thursday for processing.
Magistrate Ogoti is set to rule on bail applications by 24 suspects who were charged on Tuesday next week, a day before pre-trials for the NYS corruption cases begin.
Other senior public servants charged with conspiracy to commit corruption were former Acting NYS Director-General Sammy Michuki as well as Senior Deputy Director Nicholas Ahere and Acting Director of Finance Wellington Lubira, who are among forty public servants accused of colluding to defraud the youth department.
Company directors and proprietors facing prosecutions are Anne Ngirita, Phyllis Njeri, Catherine Mwai, Antony Wamiti, James Thuita, Yvonne Ngugi, Jeremiah Ngirita, Lucy Ngirita, Andrine Nyambura, Catherine Kamuyu, Serah Muguru, Samwel Kanai, and James Katululu.
They are linked to Annwaw Investment, Njewanga Investments, Arkroad Holdings Limited, Kunjiwa Enterprises, Ameri Trade Limited, Ngwiwaco Enterprises, Jerrycathy Enterprises, Fisrtling Supplies Limited, Kalabash Food Supplies Limited, and Ersatz Enterprises – the ten companied at the centre of the Sh 468 million scam at the NYS.
The DPP is also pursuing additional suspects including bank officials believed to have colluded with indicted businesspersons and concealed shoddy deals between their companies and the NYS.
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