Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru's scheduled testimony in the Sh791 million National Youth Service (NYS) funds embezzlement case was postponed on May 19 after the death of Ben Gethi's legal representative, prompting a court adjournment.
Milimani Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi ruled that Gethi, accused of orchestrating the alleged graft, had the right to secure new counsel before Waiguru could testify. The magistrate stated continuing proceedings while the defendant mourned his lawyer would be "unfair." Waiguru, who resigned as Devolution Cabinet Secretary in 2015 during the scandal, was present at the court but informed she could not testify.
The prosecution alleges Gethi, a Nairobi-based businessman, masterminded the theft. He faces 10 co-accused, including Josephine Kabura, John Kago, and Patrick Ogolla, charged with money laundering and illicit asset purchases. A charge sheet details Kabura, Kago, and Onyango transferring Sh90 million to Ogolla's account while knowing it originated from the stolen NYS funds.
Other charges include allegations that Kabura, Kago, and Gethi purchased a Sh6.3 million Jeep Cherokee to conceal illicit gains, and that Mudanyi and others acquired vehicles worth Sh5.2 million and Sh5 million using embezzled NYS money. The accused are also alleged to have transferred Sh77.6 million to accounts linked to Gethi's mother, Charity Wangui Gethi.
The hearing was rescheduled for August 5, when Waiguru will finally testify. The case, involving funds siphoned between December 2014 and May 2015, remains under judicial review.
