Ngiritas cite 20-year record to reclaim Sh100m assets

Ngirita family members Monday told the court they are government suppliers with more than 20 years experience as they launched a fight to win back Sh100 million property seized for links with National Youth Service (NYS) fraud suit.

They dismissed accusations of money laundering levelled against them, saying they are hardworking Kenyans “who have supplied various government agencies with goods and services for over 20 years”.

Ms Phyllis Njeri, Mr Jeremiah Gichini Ngirita and their mother Mrs Lucy Wambui Ngirita received Sh361 million from the NYS between November 2015 and April 2018, but the State managed to trace properties worth less than Sh100 million.

Documents filed in court show the State has managed to freeze five parcels of land in Nakuru, Naivasha and Trans Nzoia and three Toyota cars estimated at Sh95 million, but there is no mention of the five bank accounts at KCB.

The prosecution has said billions of shillings were stolen through fictitious invoices and multiple payments on one supplier invoice.

In an affidavit filed in court, Ms Njeri said the Assets Recovery Agency, which has applied for three vehicles and parcels of land forfeited to the government, has not demonstrated how they are linked to the National Youth Service (NYS) scam.

“That the respondents indeed supplied goods to the National Youth Service in the period they were advanced the amount in question and the proceeds are entirely premised on a legitimate business enterprise,” she said in the statement.

She accused police of raiding their homes on May 23 and June 4, last year and confiscating documents showing proof of supplies to the NYS. The documents, she said, include payment vouchers, and delivery receipts.

The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) says there is no evidence the Ngirita family supplied goods or services to NYS. The family received the Sh361 million from NYS that was split into 79 transactions.

Court documents showed that Mrs Ngirita received Sh211 million from the NYS to KCB accounts belonging to her firms, Waluco Investments and Ngiwaco Investments, while Jeremiah through his company Jerrycathy received Sh87.9 million between December 2015 and April 2016.

Mrs Ngirita transferred Sh58 million to her personal account at KCB, bought a Sh46 million plot in Naivasha and another in Nakuru for Sh7 million, the ARA documents reveal. She and her son purchased 0.70-hectare parcel of land in Waitaluk in Kitale for Sh20 million.

Jeremiah bought plots in Naivasha and Nakuru for Sh2.5 million. Ms Njeri received Sh57.2 million from the NYS. “The investigations revealed Ms Njeri was paid directly to her personal account, which is contrary to procedure,” says the ARA.