NYS suspect given access to her millions, but told to cut down posh lifestyle
Former Youth and Gender Affairs Principal Secretary Lillian Omollo was on Friday granted access to her bank accounts which are suspected to be holding the loot from the National Youth Service (NYS) scandal.
Lady Justice Hedwig Ong’udi granted Ms Omollo access to the 10 bank accounts, but on condition that she can only withdraw a maximum of Sh2 million for her personal expenses.
Ms Omollo’s bank accounts were frozen last year after the Assets Recovery Agency made a successful application to the High Court to have them frozen. Six of the accounts are held at Equity Bank, while four others are with Diamond Trust Bank.
ADVICE
Justice Hedwig however had an advice to the former Principal Secretary; she has to adjust her lifestyle.
“There is a lot of room for her to adjust her lifestyle to fit into her current financial status given that there is high public interest in the money from NYS which led her to be charged with a criminal offense, and which cannot just be wished away,” she ruled.
Ms Omollo had filed a petition to the court seeking access to her accounts to cater for day to day expenses.
In her application through lawyer Stephen Ligunya, she sought access to Sh6.8 million.
Of the amount, Sh5.2 million was for her children, Sh139,800 to pay fees for three of her dependents and Sh219,000 to cater for her six workers.
She said her elderly parents need Sh 150,000, while her monthly utilities run to Sh102,079.
CAR MAINTENANCE
Further, Sh 449,000 would go to car maintenance while food and other miscellaneous would account for Sh 510,000
Though the judge granted her access to the Sh2 million, the application to unfreeze all her bank accounts was declined.
The former PS is among 44 suspects facing charges in the Sh9 billion loss at NYS. The money was payment to suppliers between 2016 and 2017.