Six Nairobi County employees charged with fraud

Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi of the anti-corruption court. On July 20, 2018 Mr Mugambi directed six Nairobi City County employees charged with fraud to deposit cash bail of Sh400,000 to secure their release. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The court heard that by inserting a higher bid price, the county risked losing Sh100 million.
  • They allegedly committed the offence between November 21 and 30, 2016.
  • The pre-trial conference will held on August 10.

Six employees of the Nairobi City County and a director of a company have denied fraud charges in connection to the installation of an asphalt plant in Nairobi.

The court heard that the suspects jointly conspired to fraudulently commit an economic crime by inserting a bid security after the completion of the opening of the tender for the supply, delivery and installation of asphalt plant along Nanyuki Road.

The charges stated that the officials substituted the tender documents which had a figure of Sh50 million, adding figure one to make the bid price to read Sh150 million.

ACCUSED

They include procurement officers Peter Gitau and Ms Edna Maiyeka, Mr Ephantus Gitinga Njoka, an electrical engineer, Mr Allan Muchira Nyaga and Mr Bernard Kigori, a sub-county engineer.

Also facing charges is Mr Charles Gatheru Mburu, the director of Broadways Hardware and General Supplies.

The court heard that by inserting a higher bid price, the county risked losing Sh100 million.

They allegedly committed the offence between November 21 and 30, 2016.

CASH BAIL

The accused denied the charges when they appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi who directed them to deposit cash bail of Sh400,000 to secure their release.

Alternatively, the court directed the suspects post a Sh1 million bond with surety.

The court further directed that a seventh official, Mr Nicholas Maina Mwangi, who was not in court, to appear before him on August 2 and answer to the charges.

The prosecution told the court that Mr Mwangi, who was a senior clerical officer with the county, had just been discharged from hospital and was recovering.

The magistrate directed the investigating officer to, by August 3, supply defence lawyers with all witness statements and documents the prosecution will rely on.

The pre-trial conference will held on August 10.