Judiciary staff charged with Sh80m theft
Lawyer Cliff Ombeta talks to press recently. Photo/FILE
What you need to know:
- Junior workers deny the accusation with their lawyer claiming they are scapegoats
Four junior Judiciary members of staff were on Monday charged with stealing Sh80 million.
Ms Ruth Wanjiku, Mr Joab Ooko, Mr Boru Mole, and Mr Benjamin Mutuku were accused of conspiring to steal Sh80,013,302 from their employer on September 14.
The four denied the offence. Their lawyer, Mr Cliff Ombeta, said they were wrongfully charged to protect those who should be held accountable for the mess in the Judiciary.
“These are the lowest staff of the Judiciary and they are being used as scapegoats to conceal corruption within the Judiciary,” said Mr Ombeta.
Senior principal magistrate Melisa Opondo released each of them on a cash bail of Sh2 million and scheduled the hearing for December 2.
The prosecution of the four para-legal staff came hot on the heels of a dispute between the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and Judiciary Chief Registrar Gladys Shollei over allegations of impropriety.
Last month, the JSC sent Mrs Shollei of two-week compulsory leave, accusing her of impropriety. She was, however, reinstated in an out of court settlement.
Mrs Shollei, who resumed official duties last week, denied claims that she was on trial following the ongoing investigations.
According to the registrar, most questions raised by JSC touched on individual departments within the Judiciary, and that she had directed officers concerned to respond to them.
She said JSC only served her with questions on various allegations raised against her following a mutual agreement they signed to allow her resume duties and withdraw a case she had filed against the commission over her suspension.
She said the queries raised by her employer touched on financial management, procurement and human resource management.
The JSC is investigating financial transactions amounting to Sh1.2 billion in various questionable deals transacted by the Judiciary in the past two years.
Some of the questions Mrs Shollei has been asked to respond to include claims that she secured eight months’ advance salary amounting to Sh3.5 million between October 31, 2012 and November 21, 2012, charging the Judiciary Accounts instead of the Consolidated Fund.
Others include claims of discriminatory selection of staff for foreign trips and training, leading massive financial claims by some members of staff.
