Ex-water agency accountant jailed 24 years for taking M-Pesa bribes

A former manager of a State corporation has been sentenced to 24 years in jail after he was found guilty of soliciting and receiving bribes in order to release funds meant for the development and operations of regional offices.

James Omondi Ambuso, a former finance and administration manager at Water Resource Management Authority (Warma), was convicted of receiving a total of Sh910,000 from officers from Warma’s regional units ten years ago.

Anti-Corruption Court senior principal magistrate Eunice Nyutu gave Mr Ambuso the option to pay a fine of Sh7.6 million or serve 24 years in prison.

The magistrate rejected his pleas to allow him to pay the fine in instalments while at home and directed that he files a formal application, demonstrating how he would pay the amount.

The court said the prosecution proved that Mr Ambuso had demanded bribes from regional officers to release funds meant for development and operations. The money was sent to him through his mobile wallet M-Pesa with the highest amount he received being Sh50,000.

“The accused was a public officer when he committed the offence. He had a duty to safeguard public resources, but he did the opposite and used the resources to benefit himself. Such actions are to be frowned upon and a message sent to the public that the use of public records for personal enrichment shall not be tolerated,” the magistrate ruled.

Records in court showed that he received a Sh445,000 bribe from Geoffrey Mworia, an officer at Warma’s Mombasa office, between May 14, 2012, and February 11, 2013, and Sh465,000 from Bonface Mbeu Mwaniki of Tana catchment area, between January 12, 2012, and April 20, 2013.

Mr Ambuso had been charged with nine counts, but the court found him guilty of four and imposed a mandatory fine of twice the amount he solicited and received.

For soliciting a bribe from Mr Mworia, he was fined Sh1 million or serve a jail term of three years. And for receiving the Sh445,000 bribe, he was ordered to pay twice the amount or serve another three years behind bars.

The court also sentenced him to three years in prison for corruptly receiving a benefit from Mr Mwaniki or pay a fine of Sh1 million. Further, he will also pay a Sh930,000 fine or serve another three years in default.