Man reveals Ksh.60M pay from NYS for ghost supplies

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has concluded interrogating 42 key suspects and witnesses in the Ksh.8.8 billion National Youth Service (NYS) scandal.

The final day of the probe was so startling so much so that it emerged some of alleged suppliers who pocketed tens of millions cannot recall what they supplied.

One of the beneficiaries of the multi-billion scandal confessed that they received Ksh.60 million but could not remember what they supplied to NYS.

“I have never tendered for any supply at NYS. I don’t know how to tender. I walked into NYS offices and I was given a Local Purchase Order worth Ksh.60million. I don’t know where the items were sourced neither what was supplied to NYS,” said the unnamed beneficiary.

Exposing the rot at NYS and the laxity of procurement officers, the said supplier revealed that they had no physical office and that they operated from anywhere.

By the end of the day, 29 officers of the National Youth service picked from the departments of procurement, finance and accounting, especially those who operate and interact with the financial information management system IFMIS had been interrogated.

Other officers who were questioned work at the stores department and are responsible for receiving deliveries and keeping records of supplies that were used to make payments.

NYS Director General Richard Ndubai and Public Service and Youth PS Lillian Mbogo Omollo who have since proceeded to three-month leave had also been interrogated.

Sources at the DCI indicated that 20 companies believed to have benefited from the alleged loot are under investigation with directors of 14 of them having reportedly recorded statements with the DCI.

DCI boss George Kinoti on Tuesday evening met a six-member team that has been questioning NYS officials and suppliers linked with the scam and is reported to be compiling a report that will be used to prefer charges on at least 30 people whom the department believes pose a strong case.

The department of criminal investigations is probing how monies up to Ksh.8.8 billion was paid out despite some of the transactions lacking supporting documents, while others were paid for without actual delivery of supplies.

It is also claimed that certain individuals colluded with NYS officials and used different names of companies to win supply contracts and eventually secure payments.

But the department believes it has found a strong case against at least 30 of those being investigated and that it will just be a matter of time before the prosecution opens its cases.

Reports further indicate that the Assets Recovery Agency has been mapping property of NYS officials and those of directors of suspect companies, where some have had their property frozen. These include motor-vehicles, parcels of land and bank accounts.

Plans are also underway to have the courts grant seizure and forfeiture orders as soon as the cases commence while government agencies have been alerted not to allow transfer of ownership of the flagged property.