Four former managers of East African carrier, Kenya Airways have been charged for stealing $4.1 million from the national carrier eight years ago.
According to ch-aviation.com, the four managers, Jackson Kiruti Njiiri, Elias Kyalo Ngao, Elijah Itegi Githinji, and Grace Wamuyu Mathenge face seven counts of conspiracy to steal, forgery, and money laundering in the Milimani court. Charges against Jane Wanjiru Kiboi were withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Robison Ondieki, on February 14, turned down a request to defer their plea hearing until the determination of a constitutional petition filed at the Kenyan High Court.
The four accused are charged alongside former Dubai Bank Kenya Limited chairman Hassan Ahmed Zubeidi, who did not enter a plea because his lawyer was absent.
In the first count, the accused are jointly charged with conspiracy to steal KES521,939,870 (USD4,152,610) from Kenya Airways between 2013 and 2015 at Dubai Bank Kenya Limited, which was placed under receivership by the Central Bank of Kenya in 2015.
Githinji and Wamuyu are further accused of stealing KES13.5 million (USD107,407) at the bank’s Eastleigh branch between February 11 and January 13, 2015.
On the third count, Githinji is charged with stealing KES2.5 million (USD19,889) at the bank’s Nakuru branch. He is further charged with two counts of having forged a Citibank report for KES21.9 million (USD174,225) and KES13.5 million.
Wamuyu alone was charged with stealing KES8.5 million (USD67,625) from the Eastleigh branch between April 13 and May 27, 2015.
All defendants are also accused of money laundering.
The prosecution has lined up four witnesses, including former Kenya Airways chief executive officer, Mbuvi Ngunze.
The fraud was first revealed by a whistle-blower in July 2015 when a bank guarantee for fuel supply to Kenya Airways turned out to be fake.
The court ordered each of the accused to be released on their earlier bail terms of KES2 million (USD15,911) or alternative cash of KES300,000 (USD2,386).
Zubeidi was ordered to appear in court again on March 15 to answer the charges before the court hearing starts on April 27, 2023.
