KPA finance boss's wife charged with Sh215m theft

Jacinta Wanjiku Nyoike at a Mombasa Court yesterday. [Kelvin Karani' Stanadrd]

The wife of a top Kenya Ports Authority official charged on Monday with stealing Sh215 million from the institution appeared in court on Tuesday after leaving the hospital.

Jacinta Wanjiku is married to  KPA Finance General Manager Patrick Nyoike. The two were arrested in their Mombasa home on Sunday and charged on Monday but she and two others did not attend court as her husband was freed on bond.

Her lawyer, Jared Magolo, told the court on Monday she was admitted to the hospital with depression and the magistrate allowed her to plead yesterday.

She denied the charges before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Edna Nyaloti. “The accused shall be released on Sh5 million bond with one surety of similar amount or pay a cash bail of Sh2 million,” ruled Nyaloti.

The charge sheet read that between September 2014 and March 2017 in Mombasa County as a Managing Director of Nyali Capital Limited, she received Sh215,098,340 from KPA, which was acquired through corrupt conduct. 

Prosecution Counsel Alloys Kemo said: “Evidence that will be adduced will demonstrate that Wanjiku is principal General Manager of Nyali Capital Limited and a signatory where money was transferred and she had a significant role to play in commission of the charges she is facing.”