NYS Suspects Kabura, Gethi Charged Afresh then Freed on Ksh.300K Bail

BY GEOFFREY ISAYA

Josephine Kabura, Ben Gethi and eight others have pleaded afresh to money laundering charges over the National Youth Service (NYS) scandal.

In the new charge sheet presented on Tuesday, the Prosecution added one new count against Kabura, John Kago Ndungu and Partick Ogola Onyago.

The particulars on the count 16 reads that between December 1, 2014 and May 30, 2015 in Nairobi, the three accused persons are alleged to have engaged in an arrangement for the transfer of Ksh. 90million into K-rep Ban Account belonging to Patrick Ogolla Onyango T/A Ogola and company Advocates.

This, according to Prosecution, they did while knowing or ought to have known the said money was the proceeds of crime, stolen from NYS.

The Prosecution further alleged that the effect was to conceal the source of the Ksh. 791million. Also amended are the dates for the offences.

It is alleged that the said offences in the charge sheet were committed between December 2014 and April 2015.

Out 35 witnesses lined up to testify against the accused persons only nine have testified.

The Prosecution also indicated to the court they have not recorded nay new witness statements and if they do do they will serve the defence on time.

Similarly, the defence said that they do not intend to recall the witnesses who have already testified in the case.

The accused persons were first arraigned in court in the year 2016 and were charged with 15 counts.

Some of the proceeds were used to buy cars including Range Rover, Jeep Cherokee, Toyota Prado, Land Cruiser and other properties.

They all pleaded not guilty to the new amended charges and are out on cash bail of Ksh. 300,000 each.

The case will be heard next month.