By Sarah Omondi
A Nairobi-based businessman has been sentenced to mandatory seven-year imprisonment and fined Sh900 million for swindling the Youth Enterprise Development Fund of Sh180 million through illegal payments seven years ago.
Mukuria Ngamau was found guilty of illegal acquisition of public property, conspiracy to commit a crime and making false documents (forgery), offenses that he committed between November 2014 and May 2015 within Nairobi.
Court documents showed that he conspired with former Youth Fund boss, Catherine Namuye (late) and transferred the money from the Fund’s main account to his company, Quorandum Ltd without rendering any services.
The court ordered the company to refund to the government agency Sh180 million that was lost and the businessman to pay a fine of Sh720.8 million.
Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti said the prosecution proved how the illicit transactions were executed based on documents authored by late Namuye including contract agreements and invoices for the provision of ICT consultancy services.
While delivering the judgment, the Magistrate said procurement rules and procedures were not adhered to.
