NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 12 — Former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu is facing a fraud case for unlawfully hiring officers to Kitui Manifesto Implementation Unit (MIU) in the Financial Year 2017/2018 during her tenure.
Ngilu is alleged to have interfered with Kitui County Public Service Board’s (KCPSB) authority according to a case progress report released by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Chairperson David Oginde on Saturday.
She went against the law by pushing for the nomination of unnamed individuals.
“Investigations further established that on November 17, 2017, the Kitui Governor wrote a letter to KCPSB seeking the appointment of persons to the MIU in the financial year 2017/2018,” the report stated.
“EACC Investigations revealed that on November 24, 2017, three members of the KCPSB directed the KCPSB Secretary to issue appointment letters to appointees nominated by the Governor to work within the MIU.”
The agency further noted: “KCPSB neither advertised nor conducted any interviews for the positions hence contravening the constitution of the County Government Act 2012.”
Investigations on Ngilu, EACC revealed, followed a complaint filed by the board.
Abuse of office
The agency recommended abuse of office charges against Ngilu in accordance with Sections 46 and 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.
EACC will also be seeking to charge three board members.
The agency said it was conducting further investigations on the matter as directed by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
ODPP made the recommendation after reviewing an initial file presented on June 14.
Section 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act prescribed a maximum 10-year prison sentence and a fine of Sh1 million for persons found guilty for offences under Part V.
“A person convicted of an offence under this part shall be liable to an additional mandatory fine if, as a result of the conduct that constituted the offence, the person received a quantifiable benefit or any other person suffered a quantifiable loss,” the Act states.
Ngilu withdrew from the 2022 Kitui gubernatorial election, opting not to mount a re-election campaign after serving a five-year term having beaten incumbent Julius Malombe in 2017.
Malombe reclaimed the seat in 2022.
