The Director of Public Prosecutions charged National Treasury officials and business proprietors with at least 121 counts over alleged embezzlement and fraudulent disbursement of KSh1.57 billion under the Programme for Rural Outreach of Financial Innovation and Technologies (PROFIT).
The nine suspects include three National Treasury officials and six business proprietors or company directors. Prosecutors accuse them of abusing their offices, unlawfully acquiring public property, engaging in financial misconduct, uttering false documents, acquiring proceeds of crime, and laundering money.
According to the case, the alleged loss amounts to KSh1.569 billion.
Among those charged are PROFIT Programme Coordinator John Ngure Kabutha, National Treasury Head of Accounting Unit Namwel Moturi Motanya, and Senior Accountant John Maina Muriithi.
Also facing charges are business proprietors and directors Gladys Juliet Oroni, Brian Kiprop Chepkarat, Ian Kwemoi Chepkarat, Josephat Kamau Kamoshe, James Omwodo Ndai, and Jimmy Carter Odoyo Osodo.
According to the charge sheet, Kabutha and Project Accountant Billy Otieno Obango allegedly abused their positions to authorize payments running into hundreds of millions of shillings to various private businesses. One count alleges that officials irregularly paid KSh73.8 million to Mawindo Enterprises, while another cites payments of KSh41.1 million to Brigs Agencies and KSh71.4 million to Greenbasil Agencies.
Prosecutors also accuse some of the business proprietors of laundering proceeds they allegedly obtained through the PROFIT programme.
In one count, Gladys Juliet Oroni is accused of transferring KSh13 million through an advocate’s client account to facilitate the purchase of several parcels of land. Another count alleges that Oroni transferred KSh14.05 million through a similar account for land purchases.
All Nine Plead Not Guilty in KSh1.57 Billion PROFIT Fraud Case
All nine suspects pleaded not guilty. Through their lawyers, the accused asked the court to grant them favorable bail and bond terms, citing health concerns and the nature of the charges they face.
Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Alex Akula, who leads the prosecution, urged the court to exercise its discretion on the appropriate bail and bond terms in line with the law.
After weighing the nature of the offenses and the amounts involved, the court granted the PROFIT Programme Coordinator a bond of Ksh10 million or Ksh5 million in cash bail.
The Head of the Accounting Unit and the Senior Accountant received the same bond terms of Ksh5 million each, with Ksh2 million in cash bail. The remaining accused persons were granted bond terms ranging from Ksh1 million to Ksh20 million.
The court also directed all the accused persons to surrender their passports and prohibited them from leaving the country without the court’s permission as the case continues.
Anti-Corruption Magistrate Rose Ndobi warned that arrest warrants will be issued for any accused person who fails to appear for plea taking. The matter will be mentioned on September 2, 2026.
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