Nairobi News

12 suspects accused of defrauding the National Intelligence Service (NIS) Sacco of Sh160 million are expected to appear in court on September 26, 2023.

The suspects have a total of 223 charges levelled against them by the office of Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP).

Kahawa Senior Principal Magistrate Boaz Maura Obwewa is expected to make the ruling today.

In their response the 12 suspects had challenged a 57-page charge sheet which was presented in court by the DPP which had over 200 counts against them.

Those that will be arraigned in court include Mr Amos Kipchumba who was the Sacco’s internal auditor, loans manage Ms Violet Waili, Ms Caren Lang’at who served as an accountant, System Analyst Hamisi Zaunga.

Others are Miriam Nthenya and Moses Ntoinya – a NIS officer. The above refused to take plea saying that it would be defective.

Others who have already taken plea include; Nicodemus Osiemo, Eric Rono from Sure-step Systems, and Tony Wabomba a former employee of the Sacco Society.

Their lawyer Mr Danstan Omari opposed the charge sheet saying that they were all framed by the DPP.

Mr Omari has maintained that the prosecution was only out to humiliate and embarrass his clients.

“Before you is a charge sheet with cumulative 223 counts it’s unprecedented and history-making that’s why we are asking if a charge sheet can carry that large amount of charges,” Omari said during the last hearing.

He further claimed that with such a bulky charge sheet it would be very difficult to prepare the case.

It is worth noting that this would be the first time NIS officers are taking plea in the country.

On Friday last week, the 12 were nabbed by sleuths attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

The charge sheet reads that on diverse dates between January 1, 2018 and March 31, 2023, they jointly with others not before the court, conspired to steal from Njwa Sacco Limited Sh106,549,379 the property of Njwa Sacco.

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