Nine officials and business owners have been charged in court over the alleged misappropriation of up to KSh1.5 billion from the Programme for Rural Outreach of Financial Innovation and Technology (PROFIT).
The accused persons appeared before the Anti-Corruption Magistrate’s Court in Nairobi, where they faced a total of 121 charges linked to alleged financial impropriety involving public funds.
Those charged include National Treasury officials Nemwel Moturi Motanya, the Head of the Accounting Unit, John Ngure Kabutha, the PROFIT Programme Coordinator, and Senior Accountant John Maina Muriithi.
The other accused are business proprietors and directors Gladys Juliet Oroni, Brian Kiprop Chepkarat, Ian Kwemoi Chepkarat, James Omwodo Ndai, Jimmy Carter Odoyo Osodo and Josphat Kamau Kamoshe.
The accused appeared before Anti-Corruption Magistrate Rose Ndobi and denied all the charges brought against them.
The charges include abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property, uttering a false document, financial misconduct, acquisition of proceeds of crime and several counts of money laundering.
The offences have been brought under various laws, including 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.
During the proceedings, the accused persons, through their lawyers, asked the court to grant them favourable bail and bond terms. Their lawyers cited various factors, including health concerns and the nature of the charges facing their clients.
The prosecution team, led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Alex Akula, together with Principal Prosecution Counsel Faith Mwila and Prosecution Counsel Abdisalam Bore and Belinda Nakhanu, asked the court to exercise its discretion when setting the bail and bond terms.
The prosecution noted that the accused had formally been charged and were now before the court as accused persons. They were therefore required to comply with any conditions set by the court.
After considering the nature of the offences and the amount of money involved, the court granted different bail and bond terms to each accused person.
Kabutha was granted a KSh10 million bond or KSh5 million cash bail. Moturi Motanya and Muriithi were each granted a KSh5 million bond or KSh2 million cash bail.
Oroni was granted a KSh20 million bond or KSh10 million cash bail, while Brian Kiprop was given a KSh10 million bond or KSh5 million cash bail.
Ian Kwemoi was granted a KSh3 million bond or KSh2 million cash bail.
James Omwodo was granted a KSh5 million bond or KSh2 million cash bail, while Kamoshe received a KSh5 million bond or KSh2 million cash bail. Jimmy Odoyo was granted a KSh1 million bond or KSh300,000 cash bail.
The court also ordered all the accused persons to surrender their passports and remain within its jurisdiction as the case proceeds. Warrants of arrest will be issued against any accused person who failed to appear for plea taking.
The matter will come up for mention on September 2, 2026.
