Ex-MP Elizabeth Ongoro, 18 others face charges over Sh49m ghost school

Former Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro and her husband Ferdinand Masha at the High Court in Milimani, Nairobi on January 16, 2018 during the ruling in a petition where she is was challenging the election of Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang. The two are among 19 suspects facing graft charges over a Sh49 million non-existent CDF funded school. FILE PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Ex-Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro and her husband Masha among 19 suspects summoned by EACC over Sh49m non-existent Kasarani Girls High School.
  • They face nine charges of conspiracy to commit offence of corruption, misappropriation of public funds, abuse of office, engaging in a project without prior planning, unlawful acquisition of public property and wilful failure to comply with the law relating to procurement.

Former Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro and her husband Ferdinand Masha are among 19 individuals suspected to have shared out Sh49 million meant for a school project.

The Kasarani Girls High School project was conceptualised by the area CDF committee, Sh48,907,826 allocated to it and paid out but today, the school does not exist.

In addition to the alleged embezzlement, the suspects are accused of failing to follow procurement laws.

According the anti-corruption watchdog, the Mashas and 17 other individuals have answers and should present themselves for grilling “immediately”.

“The Commission established that the award of the contract for the construction of the school was made without due regard to the procurement laws, the school does not exist, and that payments were made to different individuals and companies associated to the NG-CDF patron and committee members for services not rendered,” says the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) chief executive officer Twalib Mbarak, in a statement.

CHARGES

Ms Ongoro was the patron of the Kasarani National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) committee when she was the MP from 2007 to 2013.

Mr Mbarak says the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji has reviewed the files and granted consent to charge 26 individuals and entities.

EACC detectives have arrested two suspects, former Kasarani District Development Officer Kefa Omanga Omai and a CDF committee member Jecinta Akoth Opondi.

The anti-graft agency has directed that the former lawmaker, her husband, ex-Kasarani CDF fund managers Mwalim Rashid Mrafi and Douglas Parshet, former Nairobi provincial and regional accountants Nashon Odongo and Vitalis Obunga Ogingo, and Ruth Kanini Kitonyi, the former Kasarani District development officer to present themselves at the Integrity Centre immediately.

Others are former CDF committee members Silvan Onyango, Pamela Mudha, and Claperton Ouda, and businessmen Maricus Otieno, Peter Aming, Maurice Orongo, William Ogutu Weda, James Juma Ochieng, Peter Ongeyo, Charles Owino, John Obonyo Owinga and James Miruka Dola.

They face nine charges of conspiracy to commit offence of corruption, misappropriation of public funds, abuse of office, engaging in a project without prior planning, unlawful acquisition of public property and wilful failure to comply with the law relating to procurement.