Nine suspects, including seven employees of the Nakuru County Government, have been charged over the alleged irregular award and payment of procurement contracts worth Ksh120 million.
In a statement on Friday, July 31, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the suspects faced 19 counts related to alleged conflict of interest, money laundering, acquisition of proceeds of crime, procurement offences, and corrupt and fraudulent practices in procurement proceedings.
The ODPP noted that the charges stem from the alleged irregular procurement and payment of tenders awarded by the County Government of Nakuru to three companies.
“The Director of Public Prosecutions has today charged nine individuals, seven of whom are employees of the County Government of Nakuru, with 19 counts arising from alleged conflict of interest, money laundering, acquisition of proceeds of crime, procurement-related offences and corrupt and fraudulent practices in procurement proceedings,” read the statement in part.
The suspects include: Lorna Karamuta Mubichi, Daniel Wainaina, Kennedy Mungai, Timothy Kiogora Murithi and Josphat Kimemia.
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Others are: Peter Gitau Thabanja, Solomon Sirma, Kenneth Muriithi Ndubi and Brian Mwenda Ndubi.
The nine individuals were charged alongside three companies, namely Denken Building and Construction Limited, Murinchamba Investment Limited and Windcom Solutions Limited.
All the accused pleaded not guilty to the 19 charges and were released on bond and bail terms pending trial.
The first, second and third accused persons were each granted a bond of Ksh1 million with one surety of a similar amount, or cash bail of Ksh200,000.
They were also directed to surrender their passports and report to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) offices every fortnight.
Meanwhile the fourth to ninth accused persons were each released on a bond of Ksh500,000 with one surety of a similar amount or a cash bail of Ksh200,000.
The nine suspects were arrested by EACC officials on Thursday July 30.
In a statement EACC said the arrests followed investigations into the award of dozens of county tenders between the 2020/2021 and 2024/2025 financial years.
According to the EACC, the investigations began after allegations emerged that a serving county economist had facilitated business dealings between the county and companies owned by her husband while she remained a public officer.
"The investigations arose from allegations that Lorna Karamuta Mubichi, an Economist II at the County Government of Nakuru, used companies owned by her husband to conduct business with the County Government while serving at the County," the statement read.
EACC said the companies allegedly linked to the scheme secured 29 county contracts over five years, receiving more than Ksh120 million in payments.
Investigators established that the three companies were owned and controlled by Mubichi's husband, Kenneth Muriithi Ndubi, either solely or jointly with his brother, Brian Mwenda Ndubi.
The agency further found that the firms allegedly relied on false documents to obtain the tenders unlawfully. At the same time, part of the contract proceeds was transferred into joint bank accounts held by Mubichi and her husband.
Investigators also traced some of the payments to several senior county officials.
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