Businesses and homes raided in NYS arrests

The arrests of 19 people suspected to have played a role in the loss of funds at the National Youth Service (NYS) was conducted by three units of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

The Special Crimes Prevention Unit (SCPU) Flying Squad and the newly formed Financial Crime Investigation Unit pounced on the suspects in their houses, clubs and business premises in Thika, Nairobi, Naivasha, Nakuru and Kitengela.

Four teams went for the Nairobi suspects, relying on their phone signals and intelligence to locate them on Sunday evening. Another team was dispatched to Naivasha where they picked members of the Ngirita family, suspected to have also been involved in the fraud.

The teams, after meeting with the Director of Criminal Investigations on Saturday and Sunday, were dispatched to the locations of the suspects, who had already given details of their homes, phone numbers and where they worked. The teams were led by Flying Squad Musa Yego and SCPU bosses.

PRESENTED HERSELF

Officers who were deployed at 8.30pm, had to spend the whole night at the gates of some of the suspects including Public Service Principal Secretary Lilian Omollo who refused to open the gate. Later at 8am Ms Omollo presented herself at the DCI Headquarters.

NYS Director-General Richard Ndubai was seized from his house at Muguga Greens at 8pm on Sunday while deputy director-general Sam Muchuki was arrested at his home in Runda at 10pm. The two spent the night at Muthaiga Police Station.

In Naivasha, members of the Ngirita family had, according to investigators, refused to open the gate for the officers. The officers also spent the night outside the house. They later arrested four members of the family at 8am on Monday who were presented at the DCI for questioning by investigators led by Director of Investigation Bureau John Kariuki.

RECORDED STATEMENTS

Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti said although most of the suspects had recorded their statements earlier, they were required to be presented at the DCI before their charge sheets were processed. “So far, we have 19 suspects and they will be charged jointly tomorrow. We have been collaborating with the Financial Reporting Centre to get the details of the bank transactions they made,” Mr Kinoti said.

He said those arrested would be charged with abuse of office, conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption, neglecting official duty among others.

PROBING BANKS

Mr Kinoti said the arrest of the 19 was just the first part of a larger plan that will see the prosecution of more than 54 suspects.

“We have arrested chief officers of NYS and suppliers. We are also probing some banks,” he said.

Traditionally, he said, Central Bank is mandated to deal with banks that authorised suspicious transactions.

The 19 suspects were locked up at the Muthaiga, Central, Gigiri and Kileleshwa police stations.