DPP allowed to amend charges of county government officials with Sh3 million theft

The Anti-Corruption Court has allowed the Director of Public Prosecutions to amend a charge sheet in a case involving three county government officials.

The officials have been charged with corruption, forgery of revenue collection documents and theft of Sh3 million.

Yesterday, senior State counsel Emma Gicheha received the green light to amend the charges against Simon Wachira Maina, James Wachira Kagiri and James Muchiri Kanyoro.

Ms Gicheha reduced the charges from 17 to 12 after the court allowed her to open a separate file for the extra corruption-related charges.

The three officials are accused of forging documents known as Local Authority Integrated Financial Operations Management System Bill with intent to defraud the public.

The three however protested the amendments and opening of the new file, saying the prosecution was likely to introduce new charges.

“We do not know how many charges will be in the next file and whether the two cases have the same witnesses and if they will be heard by the same court. We fear more charges will be introduced,” they told Chief Magistrate Wendy Kagendo.

According to the charge sheet, the officials conspired and stole Sh3 million from the county government. They allegedly forged nine documents to enable the fraud.

They are accused of committing the offences jointly with others not in court on diverse dates between January 2017 and June 2018 at the Mathira sub-county government offices.

They were freed on a cash bail of Sh500,000 each