Ex-Ministry of Education Staffers Handed 7-year Jail Terms in Graft Case -

Two former accountants at the Ministry of Education have been sentenced to seven and half years in prison each after they were found guilty in Ksh2.5 million graft case.

Perminus Njoroge Kamau and Kepha Oseko Mareli were accused of having fraudulently acquired the current expenditure money from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology in 2008.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, Milimani Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi ruled that the prosecution had proved their graft case against the two.

In the case that has been going on for years, the court was told that on February 11, 2008, at the ministry’s offices in Nairobi being the Head Cashier and accountant respectively, the two officials fraudulently acquired a public property with a sum of Sh2.5 million withdrawn as imprest from the Central Bank of Kenya.

The magistrate ruled that Perminus Njoroge failed to comply with procedures which led to embezzlement of public funds which could have been used to better the education system.

Read: Graft Cases Against Governor Obado, Others To Be Heard In Nairobi

While sentencing Kepha Oseko, Mugambi said the accused was paid by the public to protect resources but became the enabler of embezzlement and the money could have been saved.

“He does not deserve the mercy of this court,” the magistrate ruled.

Dorothy Katunge, who had been charged alongside the two, escaped a jail term.

She was, however, fined Sh500,000 with the magistrate saying the accused was not found guilty for any loss of funds.

Three other accused persons were acquitted. They are Thomas Kubende Lunani, Zuwena Zainabu and Catherine Wanjiru Ngugi.

The accused persons faced a total of 10 counts of fraudulent acquisition of public property, stealing by a person employed by public service, conspiracy to defraud and abuse of office.

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