Five top Nakuru County officials charged over Sh50m land procurement irregularities

Five Nakuru County officials face charges over alleged procurement irregularities in a Sh50 million land deal for a health centre. [File Courtesy]

Five former and current Nakuru County officials have been charged over alleged irregular procurement of a Sh50 million piece of land, meant for the construction of a health centre in Bahati, Nakuru.

The five out of six individuals arrested appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Vincent Adet to answer to the land fraud located in Umoja, Lanet Ward, Bahati.

They included Judyleah Gathoni, Chief Officer, Lands, Housing and Physical Planning; Ann Wangui, the department Accountant; Jane Karungari, Senior Physical Planner; Sammy Munga, the Deputy Director, Administration; and Samuel Githure, the vendor of the land.

Samuel Wachira, the Acting Director, Supply Chain Management Services, who was supposed to be charged alongside the five, was not present during the arraignment and would be charged later.

Together, the officials face 10 counts, among them conspiracy to commit economic crimes and engaging in a project without prior planning.

They were also charged with the wilful failure to comply with the law relating to procurement, forgery, abuse of office, among other related offences.

“Between October 2019 and October 2020, the accused persons conspired to commit an economic crime involving Sh50 million, being public funds,” read the charge.

The charge added the crime was in respect of a tender for the purchase of land for the health centre, which was allegedly undertaken without prior planning.

“The project failed to comply with the applicable procurement requirements, including ensuring availability of funds for the procurement process,” read the charge sheet.

The five denied the charges and urged the court to release them on reasonable bail terms. They submitted that being public servants, they were not a flight risk.

They further added that they would adhere to the court’s date and attend the courts during their trial.

According to the officials, there were no compelling reasons to deny them bail.

The court released the five on a surety bond of Sh2 million, with an alternative cash bail of Sh250,000.

The case will be mentioned on September 23.