NYS graft suspect demands for fresh probe

National Youth Service graft suspects appear before Nairobi Chief Magistrate Daniel Ogembo. One of the suspects wants to be excluded from the case saying investigations were compromised. PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Two detectives from the Banking Fraud Investigations Unit are being investigated by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa).
  • BFIU investigated the theft of Sh791 million from the NYS, but the figure of the missing cash has since shot up to Sh1.6 billion.

One of the suspects in the NYS scandal wants the charges against him dropped and the investigation conducted afresh saying anti-fraud police who indicted him “stage-managed” investigations.

Mr John Kago Ndung’u, who is among 11 suspects summoned by the court to face money laundering charges, further told Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko that the officers are under investigation for the way they handled the case.

“Our client is shocked and is strongly opposed to the recommendations because of the suspicious manner in which the investigations that gave rise to these recommendations were carried out,” said his lawyer Dennis Mosota.

Two detectives from the Banking Fraud Investigations Unit (BFIU) are being investigated by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa).

Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro is also investigating the BFIU officer on how they handled the case.

“Take notice that if you insist on charging our client on the basis of the said investigation in total disregard of the serious credibility we are under firm instructions to file suit to impugn the investigation report and challenge any charges preferred,” the lawyer added.

Credibility into the police investigations was questioned after Ms Josephine Kabura Irungu, another suspect, swore an affidavit in court.

She says of Mr Joseph Mugwanja, who is the BFIU boss: “On July 9, 2015, Mr Mugwanja and Mr Matapei Sautet (an investigator at BFIU) came to my office. I was with two members of my staff. I thought they had come to pick the arranged deliveries. As I was preparing to hand over the deliveries Mr Mugwanja game me his phone to speak to someone. The person on phone was CS Waiguru who instructed that I hand over to Mr Mugwanja Sh 80 million I had earlier disclosed to the CS I had kept in two office safes with bags.”

VYING FOR GOVERNORSHIP

BFIU investigated the theft of Sh791 million from the NYS, but the figure of the missing cash has since shot up to Sh1.6 billion.

Ms Irungu also adversely mentioned former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru.

She alleged that Ms Waiguru received a share of the money in question and that the former CS played a key role in devising devious schemes to divert public attention and mislead investigative agencies from getting to the bottom of the scandal.

Ms Waiguru has denied the allegations, saying she has never met Ms Irungu and that the claims were meant to derail her political ambitions.

The former CS has indicated that she will vie for the Nairobi governor’s seat in next year’s elections.