Thirty-six people have been charged over the alleged loss of Sh1.57 billion from the Programme for Rural Outreach of Financial Innovation and Technologies (PROFIT), with the accused facing multiple counts including abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property, acquisition of proceeds of crime, money laundering and uttering false documents.
Among those who appeared before Milimani Anti-Corruption Magistrate Rose Ndombi and denied the charges are PROFIT Programme Coordinator John Ngure Kabutha, Project Accountant Billy Otieno Obango, National Treasury officials Namwel Moturi Motanya and John Maina Muriithi, Gladys Juliet Oroni, Brian Kiprop Chepkarat, Ian Kwemoi Chepkarat, O2O Investments Limited, Vidi Vici Investment Limited, Jimmy Carter Odoyo Osodo, James Omwodo Ndai and Josephat Kamau Kamoshe.
The charges relate to the alleged fraudulent disbursement and diversion of Sh1.569 billion meant for the PROFIT programme, which was implemented by the National Treasury with funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The prosecution alleges that Kabutha and Obango abused their positions to authorise payments running into hundreds of millions of shillings to various private businesses through the programme’s Co-operative Bank account.
Kabutha is accused of unlawfully authorising the payment of Sh73.8 million to Gladys Juliet Oroni, also known as Gladys Juliet Chepkarat, trading as Mawindo Enterprises.
The court heard that Sh41.1 million was paid to Brigs Agencies, while Sh71.4 million was allegedly paid to Greenbasil Agencies.
The charge sheet further accuses Obango of authorising payments to various companies and of knowingly and fraudulently uttering a false National Treasury memo to a Kenya Commercial Bank branch manager, purporting it to be a genuine document authored by the Director of Economic Affairs at the National Treasury.
He is also accused of financial misconduct after allegedly opening a KCB account in the name of PROFIT without lawful authority.
Some of the business proprietors also face charges relating to the alleged laundering and acquisition of proceeds of crime.
Oroni, for instance, is accused of transferring Sh13 million through an advocates’ client account to facilitate the purchase of parcels of land, with another count alleging the transfer of Sh14.05 million through a similar account.
The court subsequently granted the accused varying bond and cash bail terms.
The court granted John Ngure Kabutha a Sh10 million bond or Sh5 million cash bail, with one contact person.
Nemwel Moturi Motanya was granted a Sh5 million bond or Sh2 million cash bail, while John Maina Muriithi was granted similar terms.
Gladys Juliet Oroni was granted a Sh20 million bond or Sh10 million cash bail.
Brian Kiprop Chepkarat and Brian Kiprop Chepkarat, trading as EL Konyinta Technologies, were each granted a Sh10 million bond or Sh5 million cash bail.
Ian Kwemoi Chepkarat was granted a Sh3 million bond or Sh2 million cash bail.
James Omwodo Ndai, Ednas Agencies and Prozepp Technologies were each granted a Sh5 million bond or Sh2 million cash bail.
James Omwodo Ndai, trading as Steeren Enterprises, was granted a Sh5 million bond or Sh2 million cash bail.
