Tuesday afternoon, the Milimani Law Court in Nairobi was packed to capacity as 20 suspects linked to the National Youth Service Sh9 billion scandal were arraigned.
At the centre of attention is the Ngirita family from Naivasha in Nakuru County.
Few minutes past noon, a white Land Cruiser belonging to police made a stop at the Milimani Courts’ precincts where Anne Wambere Ngirita and her sister Phyllis Njeri Ngirita took turns to alight.
Each of them had a child on her laps, presumably two-year-olds. But this did not stop the police from treating them like suspects.
They joined their mother Lucy Wambui Ngirita and brother Jeremiah Gichini Ngirita who had arrived earlier after spending a night at Muthaiga police cells.
Anne, the poster girl in the scandal according to NYS documents and investigations by police received, Sh59 million for supplying ‘air’ to NYS.
The four family members are facing several counts including fraudulent acquisition of public property. They pleaded not guilty.
On Monday when they were arrested at the posh Lakeview estate in Naivasha, a Toyota Landcruiser V8 and two other vehicles were impounded by Flying Squad.
It was highly anticipated that the four would be charged separately with the theft amounting to Sh300 million. They were, however, charged jointly.
“…on diverse dates between January 19, 2015 and June 12, 2017 in Nairobi, they fraudulently acquired property worth Sh59,846,750 as payment to Ann Wanjiku Ngirita of Annwaw Investment for goods not supplied,” read part of the charge sheet according to Daily Nation.
Anne never tendered to supply any goods to NYS. She is reportedly said to have walked to NYS Training College on Gilgil where she met a procurement officer and requested to be allowed to supply foodstuff, stationery, hammers, and firewood.
On Tuesday, NYS Director-General Richard Ndubai, Youth and Gender PS Lillian Mbogo acting assistant NYS Director-General and 17 others were charged with theft of public funds.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.