Grand theft: Top ICTA managers charged with stealing Ksh.96M

Four top managers at the Information and Communication Technology Authority (ICTA) have been arraigned before anti corruption court in Nairobi over allegations of theft and abuse of office.

Felix Obonsi Ongaga (Director Corporate Services), Daniel Stephen Ouma (Finance Manager), Peter Mukangu Mwangi (accountant) and Antony Nyaga Mwangi (cashier) are facing 11 counts of corruption.

The four are jointly charged that between June 2, 2016 and July 6, 2017 at ICTA offices in Nairobi county within the Republic of Kenya, being persons employed in the public service, stole Ksh.96.4million by fraudulently withdrawing the money from the authority’s bank accounts, the property which came into their possession by virtue of their employment.

They are also separately accused of transferring huge sums of money into their individual bank accounts from the ICTA account by virtue of the employment.

Further, they were individually charged with abuse of office as public servants.

In the sixth count, the four were charged along side another suspect, Bernad Nyariki Kebwage, with conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption.

It is alleged that the five jointly conspired to engage in a scheme to defraud the ICTA out of Ksh.63.2million on various dates between April 8, 2016 and  July 19, 2017.

The accused persons appeared before Anti Corruption Magistrate Douglas Ogoti who issued an warrant of arrest for Bernard Nyariki Kebwage who did not show up in court.

The four denied all the corruption allegations and were released on a bond of Ksh.10million, cash bail of Ksh.5million and personal bond of Ksh.2million each.

The case will be mentioned on February6,  2019 to determine pre-trial hearing dates.