Detectives arrest five relatives in NYS scandal probe

Five members of one family were arrested in Naivasha yesterday in connection with the Sh9 billion NYS scandal.

Among those arrested was Ann Wambere Ngirita, who was in the news last week after she was accused of receiving Sh60 million from NYS yet she had not delivered any goods.

Her mother, Lucy Wambui, younger sister Njeri Ngirita, older brother Jeremiah Gichini and his wife Catherine Mwai were also taken into custody.

The Ngiritas were arrested at their homes in Lakeview estate near Naivasha town.

Three vehicles belonging to the suspects were confiscated and driven to Naivasha Police Station. Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations from Nairobi and their counterparts from Naivasha carried out the arrests.

Relatives watched in shock as the family was herded into two waiting police vehicles before being transferred to Nairobi. Ms Wambere and Ms Mwai had their babies with them.

The sleuths raided the first home at 4am.

Procurement procedures

According to a source who declined to be named, various companies associated with the five are alleged to have received part of the NYS funds without following procurement procedures.

The officer, who sought anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the press, said the five were directors of companies that had allegedly received the cash.

“The five have been taken to CID headquarters in Nairobi to record statements and we expect to charge them with various offences,” said the officer.

The Ngirita family is among those who for years have supplied NYS with goods, mainly cereals and vegetables.

Some of the companies associated with the family and which are under investigations are Ngiwaco Enterprises, Njewanga Enterprises, Ngirisipa, Pamuco and Ann Wambere Wanjiku investments.

It also is emerging that six commercial banks and their executives could be forced to pay hefty fines for facilitating the NYS pay-outs.

Investigators have narrowed their probe on the institutions, some appearing on the list for enabling the theft of Sh791 million three years ago.

Following the payments, Central Bank of Kenya raised the maximum penalties imposed on bank executives and the institutions four-fold to Sh20 million.

Previous fines imposed on bank executives and institutions were viewed as too small to be deterrents for prospective offenders.

Detectives tracing the payments have asked that the names of the banks remain confidential until investigations on the roles in enabling the fraud are complete.