The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has charged nine National Treasury officials and business proprietors over the alleged loss of KSh1.57 billion from the Programme for Rural Outreach of Financial Innovation and Technologies (PROFIT). The suspects are facing at least 121 charges linked to alleged fraudulent disbursement and embezzlement of funds under the programme.
The accused include three Treasury officials and six business proprietors or company directors. They face charges including abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property, financial misconduct, making false documents, handling proceeds of crime and money laundering. Among those charged are PROFIT Programme Coordinator John Ngure Kabutha, National Treasury Head of Accounting Unit Namwel Moturi Motanya, and Senior Accountant John Maina Muriithi.
The business people facing charges are Gladys Juliet Oroni, Brian Kiprop Chepkarat, Ian Kwemoi Chepkarat, Josephat Kamau Kamoshe, James Omwodo Ndai and Jimmy Carter Odoyo Osodo. According to the prosecution, Kabutha and Project Accountant Billy Otieno Obango allegedly misused their positions to approve payments amounting to hundreds of millions of shillings to private companies.
The charge sheet cites several questionable transactions, including KSh73.8 million allegedly paid to Mawindo Enterprises, KSh41.1 million to Brigs Agencies and KSh71.4 million to Greenbasil Agencies. The prosecution has further accused some of the business proprietors of allegedly laundering money obtained through the programme.
In one case, Gladys Juliet Oroni is accused of transferring KSh13 million through an advocates’ client account to facilitate the purchase of land. Another charge relates to the alleged transfer of KSh14.05 million through a similar account for land purchases.
The alleged financial loss to the PROFIT programme is estimated at KSh1.569 billion. All nine suspects have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
