Economy

2 ex-NSSF staff fined Sh1.3 million for bribery

BRIBE

The two will pay Sh1.3 million fine or serve a three-year jail term in default. FILE PHOTO | NMG

A court on Monday ordered two former National Social Security Fund (NSSF) employees to pay Sh1.3 million fine or serve a three-year jail term in default for demanding a Sh50,000 bribe from a city hotelier 17 years ago.

The two further demanded Sh200,000 to stop charging the businessman with failure to remit workers' deductions amounting to Sh3 million.

Passing sentence, anti-corruption court magistrate Lawrence Mugambi said the case against Kenneth Kipkemoi Settim and Jossy Mwikali Kioko was one of the “oldest corruption cases to be filed.”

For the offence of demanding a bribe of Sh200,000 the magistrate imposed a fine of Sh800,000 or serve two years in default on each, while a fine of Sh500,000 or a jail term of one year was imposed for the second offence.

“This court finds that the corruption case against both of you has been proven beyond reasonable doubt,” Mr Mugambi ruled while passing judgement. He said the two committed the offence in 2002 and were arraigned two years later before then Senior Principal Magistrate and now Justice Roseline Ougo.

The magistrate noted that the case was handled by many magistrates and prosecutors.

“I must point out that this case has had the ignominy of being the oldest anti-corruption case among the anti-graft cases fraternity,” Mr Mugambi stated.

“Although today marks the end of the protracted trial there are a number of important lessons from the trial which may be used to inform legal and policy changes that would obviate such prolonged trials in future.”