Trader claims investigators lied about NYS scandal
National Youth Service Director-General Nelson Githinji shortly after he appeared at the EACC headquarters on October 09,2015. The NYS boss stepped aside on November 16, 2015. PHOTO | JAMES EKWAM | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Ms Irungu is fighting to have an order which froze her accounts lifted.
- She was responding to investigating officer Jeremiah Matipei’s submissions that detailed how NYS documents were forged to transfer Sh791 million to her account before being hurriedly wired to other accounts.
A businesswoman whose companies received Sh791 million stolen from the National Youth Service has accused police of falsifying information to have her accounts frozen.
Ms Josephine Kabura Irungu on Monday said her firms: Form Homes Builders Ltd, Reinforced Concrete Technologies Ltd and Roof and All Trading Company Ltd did not steal any money from the NYS.
She said the companies received money for goods delivered.
“The payment was purely a commercial transaction after delivery of goods ordered by the NYS. There was no conspiracy between me or my companies and NYS officials to steal as claimed by the investigating officer,” said Ms Irungu.
FROZEN ACCOUNTS
She accused the Directorate of Criminal Investigations of releasing misleading information to the public, after she was detained for two days.
Ms Irungu is fighting to have an order which froze her accounts lifted.
“My side of the story has not been sought and that is a clear breach of my right to a fair hearing,” she said.
She was responding to investigating officer Jeremiah Matipei’s submissions that detailed how NYS documents were forged to transfer Sh791 million to her account before being hurriedly wired to other accounts.
FORGED DOCUMENTS
According to Mr Matipei, the local purchase orders (LPOs) used to transfer the money to Ms Irungu’s accounts were forged, and that the companies and some NYS officials conspired to steal the money meant to develop infrastructure under the Treasury’s Integrated Financial Management System.
He said the payments were made in three tranches where Form Home Builders received Sh218,925,000 in January, Roof and All Trading Ltd got Sh252.3 million in March and Reinforced Concrete Ltd got Sh320,160,000 in the same month.
Ms Irungu, however, denied the claims, saying the LPOs were genuine.
“The LPOs were genuine and duly signed and stamped by the director in charge of finance. The unsigned LPO he provided was not among those used to pay us,” said Ms Irungu.
Her accounts were frozen on October 9 through a court order to allow investigations into the NYS scandal.
