Twelve suspects linked to the mysterious disappearance of Ksh166 million belonging to the Njiwa Sacco have been charged before the Kahawa Law Courts.
Appearing before Senior Principal Magistrate Boaz Maura Obwewa, the suspects pleaded to 223 charges filed against them by the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Through their lawyers led by Danstan Omari, the suspects challenged the 57-page charge sheet presented to the court by the DPP containing over 200 counts.
Omari said the prosecution’s move to frame over 200 counts against the suspects is meant to embarrass and humiliate their clients.
“It’s humanly impossible to answer the charges. It seems the prosecution is on a fishing expedition by filing over 200 counts so that if they missed a conviction in the others, they get even one,” Omari argued
The suspects include Amos Kipchumba who was the Sacco internal auditor, the loans Manager Violet Wali, the accountant Caren Langat and system analysts Hamisi Zaunga and Miriam Nthenya. Others are a teller identified as Nicodemus Osiemo, Eric Rono from Sure-step Systems, Moses Ntoinya, an NIS Officer, and Tony Wabomba, a former employee of the Sacco
The state prosecutor urged the court to dismiss the plea deferral request and compel the suspects to plead to the charges.
The suspects were arrested last week by DCI detectives following comprehensive joint investigations conducted by detectives and officials from the spy agency.
The charge sheet in court stated that on diverse dates between January 1, 2018 and March 31, 2023, the suspects conspired to steal from Njiwa Sacco Limited Ksh 106,549,379.
NIS Officer Ntoinya is charged to have stolen Ksh8, 755,800 from Njiwa Sacco on diverse dates between January 1, 2018 and March 31, 2023.
Jepkemoi and Wambomba were accused of stealing Ksh3, 442,695 and Ksh 2,123,688 respectively.
Masea, Kipchumba, Chebet, Mberia, Wali and Zangu were charged of having the intent to defraud the Sacco by making false entries in the Sacco books of account purporting to show that members had genuinely made withdrawal transactions of Ksh 166,549,379.
By the time of going to press, the suspects were set to be released on bond.
By Our Reporter
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