Six suspects deny stealing Sh85m from Homa Bay County

Graft

From left: Former Homa Bay County Assembly Clerk Bob Kephas, Chief Finance Officer of the House Caroline Sang, senior accounts clerk at the Assembly Maurice Amek, Everyone Awino Ogutu of Nyangume Enterprises, former Equity Bank Manager David Obonyo Mireri and Lilian Achieng' Aloo when they appeared before Homa Bay Chief Magistrate Julius Nangea on November 16, 2021.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

Six suspects arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of Sh85.177 million in Homa Bay County between January 2015 and February 2017 have denied graft charges.

The six, who include senior officials in the county assembly, were arrested by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives on Monday.

They include former assembly clerk Bob Kephas, interdicted chief finance officer Caroline Sang, interdicted senior accounts clerk Maurice Amek and Awino Ogutu of Nyangume Enterprises.

Others are former Equity Bank manager David Obonyo Mireri, of Damila Enterprises, who was arrested alongside his wife Lilian Achieng' Aloo, who works at the same company as her husband.

They appeared before Homa Bay Chief Magistrate Julius Nangea and denied all the charges of abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property, dealing with suspect property, stealing and money laundering.

They faced 17 counts in total.

The court heard that between January and February 2015, the suspects jointly committed an economic crime of embezzlement of public funds amounting to Sh85.177 million belonging to the county assembly while no work, services or goods were undertaken or delivered.

Suspects were calling witnesses

Prosecutors, led by Annette Wangia, said the suspects were threatening witnesses, urging the court to bar them from interacting with any witness.

She said some associates of the suspects were calling witnesses to threaten and intimate them.

She also asked the court to order the suspects to deposit their travel documents to prevent them from jumping bail.

But defence lawyers, led by Denis Seko, asked for lenient bond terms, saying some of their clients are facing other corruption charges and have been collaborating with the EACC.

"Some of the accused persons are getting half of their salaries because of an ongoing case. I am appealing to the court to consider this when issuing bond," he said.

He also asked the court to remand the suspects at the Homa Bay Police Station.

The magistrate ordered the suspects to deposit a Sh3 million bond each. He gave them an alternative of depositing Sh2 million cash bail each.

"There is no evidence that the suspects have threatened witnesses. They will be remanded at Homa Bay GK prison until they deposit the bond or cash bail," the magistrate said.

The case will be mentioned on November 30.