MP pushes to hand corruption convicts life sentence

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro is proposing life imprisonment for corrupt public officials. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  DAVID MWERE

What you need to know:

  • Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro is a sentence similar to those of people convicted of capital offences such as murder, and robbery with violence.

  • The MP also wants forfeiture of property and enhanced fines. He says this is aimed at reducing the  high levels of corruption in the public service.

  • The MP also wants timelines introduced in the law so that all corruption cases be heard and determined within three months.

Individuals convicted of corruption offences could be in for tough times as MPs push for life imprisonment in the proposed changes to the Anti- Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.

This comes as the government has stepped up the war against the rampant corruption in the public service following the arrest and arraignment in court of Youth Principal Secretary Lillian Mbogo over the Sh9 billion National Youth Service scandal.

NYS Director-General Richard Ndubai, 40 other public servants and proprietors of entities that supplied nothing to the  NYS but got paid, have also been charged. If found guilty, they will face tough measures as proposed by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro in his legislative proposal to Speaker Justin Muturi.

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PUBLIC SERVICE

The MP is proposing life imprisonment, a sentence similar to those of people convicted of capital offences such as murder, manslaughter and robbery with violence.

The MP also wants forfeiture of property and enhanced fines. He says this is aimed at reducing the  high levels of corruption in the public service.

“It is important that as the oversight authority in terms of prudent use of public resources, the National Assembly tightens all the loopholes that have made  the fight against corruption a challenge,” Mr Nyoro told the Nation.

The MP also wants timelines introduced in the law so that all corruption cases be heard and determined within three months.

SH600 MILLION

“This will ensure that justice is served within the required time as opposed to the current situation, where cases drag on in court for years and at the end, the suspects are set free to go and spend the ill-gotten wealth. This is something we want to contain,” the MP said.

Already the Directorate of Criminal Investigations  is investigating a Sh2 billion maize scandal at the National Cereals and Produce Board and a Sh600 million flawed tendering at the Kenya Pipeline Company.

The DCI is also investigating the Sh10 billion loss at the National Youth Fund and irregular award of tenders at Kenya Power, where employees are alleged to have allocated multi-million tenders to firms they have interests in.

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