Nyeri County officials deny graft charges, freed on bond
The then members of the Nyeri County Public Service Board and two ward administrators appear before a Nyeri magistrate's court on September 26, 2018 on allegations of abuse of office. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Mr Kiongo is said to have forged a diploma certificate from Vision College of Business Accounts on August 19, 2013.
The court heard that he misrepresented himself before the public service board to secure the job.
His colleague, Mr Thagana, was accused of forging a certificate from Presbyterian College to secure the job.
Five members of Nyeri county public service board accused of corruption have denied the charges.
The members of the board, whose mandate is to hire employees of the devolved government, faced four charges of abuse of office and conspiracy to commit corruption.
SH500,000 BOND
Former chairperson Alice Muita, secretary Anthony Ndonga and members Beatrice Wanjiru, Geoffrey Mahinda and Shellomith Nderitu, were accused of irregularly hiring two ward administrators.
They were accused of committing the offence between August 2, 2013 and February 25, 2014 by failing to consider the qualifications of the applicants.
According to the charge sheet, the accused persons hired Mr George Mwangi Muriithi and Phares Kabugi Njogu in breach of the law.
Mr Muriithi and Mr Njogu are not accused persons in the case and were not present in court.
But the board staff were charged alongside two officials of the county government, Mr Johnson Njogu Kiongo and Mr Jackson Kibutu Thagana, who work as Ward Administrators.
The board members denied the charges and were freed on Sh500,000 bond each.
The two co-accused were also released on similar bond terms after denying charges of forging academic documents and uttering false documents.
Mr Kiongo is said to have forged a diploma certificate from Vision College of Business Accounts on August 19, 2013.
FORGERY
The court heard that he misrepresented himself before the public service board to secure the job.
His colleague, Mr Thagana, was accused of forging a certificate from Presbyterian College to secure the job.
He allegedly committed the offence on December 7, 2013 in Nyeri, according to the charge sheet.
While committing the seven accused persons to bond terms, the court warned them against interfering with the prosecution witnesses and the ongoing investigations.
They were also blocked from accessing their offices without the escort of an officer from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) or police.
The magistrate also directed the accused to deposit their travel documents in court.
The prosecutor, Mr Gitonga Murang’a, was directed by the court to supply defence lawyer Wahome Gikonyo with original copies of the witness statements and other documents he plans to rely on during the hearing.
The case will be heard from October 9, 2018.
