The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has charged three senior National Treasury officials and six company directors and proprietors over the alleged misappropriation of up to KSh1.5 billion from the Programme for Rural Outreach of Financial Innovation and Technology (PROFIT).
The nine accused persons appeared before Anti-Corruption Magistrate Rose Ndobi at the Anti-Corruption Court in Milimani, where they faced a combined 121 counts relating to alleged financial impropriety involving public funds.
Among those charged are Nemwel Moturi Motanya, Head of the Accounting Unit at the National Treasury; John Ngure Kabutha, the PROFIT Programme Coordinator; and John Maina Muriithi, a Senior Accountant at the National Treasury.
The remaining six accused are company directors and proprietors linked to businesses named in the transactions under investigation.
According to the prosecution, the accused face charges including abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property, uttering false documents, financial misconduct and acquisition of proceeds of crime. They are also charged with multiple counts of money laundering under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, the Penal Code, the Public Finance Management Act and the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act.
When the charges were read to them, all nine accused denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty. Their lawyers subsequently asked the court to release them on favourable bail and bond terms, citing, among other reasons, health concerns and the nature of the allegations they face. The prosecution, however, left the matter to the court’s discretion, urging the magistrate to consider the law in determining the appropriate bail and bond terms.
After considering the nature of the offences and the amount of public funds allegedly involved, the court released the accused on varying bail and bond terms.
Kabutha was granted a KSh10 million bond or KSh5 million cash bail, while Motanya and Muriithi were each granted a KSh5 million bond or KSh2 million cash bail. On the other hand, Oroni was granted the highest terms, with the court setting his bond at KSh20 million or KSh10 million cash bail. Brian Kiprop Chepkarat was granted a KSh10 million bond or KSh5 million cash bail, while Ian Kwemoi Chepkarat received a KSh3 million bond or KSh2 million cash bail. Similarly, Omwodo and Kamoshe were each granted a KSh5 million bond or KSh2 million cash bail, while Odoyo was released on a KSh1 million bond or KSh300,000 cash bail.
As part of the conditions of their release, the court ordered all nine accused persons to surrender their passports and remain within its jurisdiction as the case proceeds.
The court further directed that arrest warrants be issued against any accused person who fails to appear for plea-taking.
The matter will return to court on September 2, 2026, when further directions are expected to be issued.
