Court freezes Ngiritas properties as Assets Recovery Agency push to recover Sh465 million stolen from NYS

NYS suspects Ann Ngirita(left) and Phylis Njeri Ngirita (centre)consult their lawyer Cliff Ombeta at Milimani law court during the the per-trial of her case where were accused of the abuse of the office at Milimani law court on 17/7/18-[Photo: Beverlyne Musili,Standard]

Three members of a family received Sh465 million within 22 months from the National Youth Service without supplying any goods or services, the prosecution has claimed.

According to the State, the family's secret dealings with top officials of the NYS and the Ministry of Gender and Youth Affairs involved depositing large amounts of money into the Ngiritas' bank accounts, then hurriedly transferring it to proxies and purchasing multi-million shilling properties to conceal the theft.

In one instance, the prosecution claimed, the three family members from Naivasha - Phylis Njeri Ngirita, Lucy Wambui Ngirita and Jeremiah Gichina Ngirita - received over Sh133 million from NYS in less than 36 hours.

It is for this reason that the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) yesterday filed an application to recover the funds and obtained orders stopping Phylis, Lucy and Jeremiah from transferring three vehicles and five parcels of land allegedly bought using the money.

Lady Justice Hedwig Ong'udi issued orders to preserve the assets pending investigation by ARA to determine if the Ngiritas’ multi-million shilling properties were proceeds of economic crimes which should be surrendered to the State.

“The three are directed to surrender the original logbooks of the three vehicles to ARA within seven days. An order is also issued to the Director General of National Transport and Safety Authority to register a caveat against each of the stated motor vehicles,” ruled Justice Ong’udi.

The judge also ordered them not to deal in any manner or transfer their two-acre piece of land in Trans Nzoia, half-acre in Naivasha, quarter-acre in Nakuru East, quarter-acre in Njoro and another piece of land in Naivasha measuring a quarter of an acre.

Justice Ong’udi directed the Registrar of Lands in Kitale, Nakuru and Naivasha to issue a caveat against the listed title deeds.

The agency, through State Counsel Peter Ngumi, stated that information indicated that the Ngirita family was involved in various economic crimes and upon investigation, it was found that the properties were acquired through proceeds of crime.

“Our investigations revealed that the three family members and their business entities fraudulently received the money from NYS in their bank accounts split in several transactions, but there was no documentation to show they had rendered any services,” said Mr Ngumi.

Fredrick Musyoki, the ARA lead investigator, in his affidavit to support the application, said that the money trail revealed that funds deposited in the family’s accounts through their business entities indicated they were engaged in money laundering.

Money laundering

Phylis, the investigator said, received Sh57,220,114 through her company, Waluco Investments, between November 2015 and June 2017.

Lucy allegedly received the biggest amount - Sh317 million - through her companies Kunjiwa Enterprises and Ngiwaco Enterprises while Jeremiah, through Jerrycarthy Enterprises, received Sh87,931,482 between December 2015 and April 2018.