Six charged with conspiracy to commit an economic crime contrary
to section 47A(3) as read with section 48 of the anti-corruption and economic
crimes act no 3 of 2003 where with others not before court embezzled Shs.
330million of CHAN funds arraigned before magistrate Isabella Barasa at
Milimani anti-corruption court, Nairobi on September 8, 2026. The six pleaded
not guilty of the charges/LEAH MUKANGAISix suspects, including former Sports Principal Secretary Peter Kirimi Kaberia and senior ministry officials, have denied charges over the alleged embezzlement of Sh330 million allocated for Kenya’s preparations to host the 2018 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).
The six were arraigned at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court on Tuesday, September 8, following their arrest by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
They appeared before Milimani Anti-Corruption Court Magistrate Isabella Barasa for plea-taking and denied the charges relating to the procurement and payment of a tender for security and other systems for stadia selected to host the continental tournament.
The accused are former Sports Principal Secretary Peter Kirimi Kaberia, former Senior Principal Finance Officer Stephen Njoroge Muthuma, former Director of Administration Harun Chebet Komen, former Principal Accountant Enock Onditi Ondwari, former Senior Superintendent Engineer at Sports Kenya John Kiende Ruga and Auditel Kenya Director Marcos Gonzalez Puente.
They were charged with conspiracy to commit an economic crime contrary to Section 47A(3) as read with Section 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.
“Between January 23, 2017 and January 19, 2018 within Nairobi City County in the Republic of Kenya, being the Principal Secretary, the Senior Principal Finance Officer, Director of Administration, Principal Accountant, all officers of the Ministry of Sports, Culture and The Arts, State Department for Sports, a Senior Superintendent Engineer at Sports Kenya, the director of Auditel Kenya and Auditel Kenya's Local Representative, you jointly conspired to commit a corruption offence, namely embezzlement of $3,154,322.40 (Sh330,573,997.52/=),” the charge sheet reads.
The prosecution alleges that the Sh330.5 million in public funds was paid to Auditel Kenya as an advance under a tender for the supply, testing, commissioning and supervision of security access control, communication, audio-visual and pitch lighting systems for five stadia selected to host CHAN 2018.
It further alleges that the officials used their respective positions at the Ministry of Sports and Sports Kenya to facilitate the alleged irregularities, while Puente is accused of participating in the transactions in his capacity as director of Auditel Kenya.
The accused also face other counts, including alleged abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property and wilful failure to comply with procurement laws.
Additional charges include acquisition of proceeds of crime under the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act and financial misconduct.
The charges stem from investigations conducted by the EACC into the use of funds allocated for Kenya's preparations to host the continental tournament.
The investigation file was subsequently submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which approved charges against 10 individuals and several companies after reviewing the evidence.
The DPP said its decision followed an “independent and thorough evaluation of the evidence” and that it had determined there were sufficient grounds to prosecute the suspects and companies involved.
The six, however, denied the allegations when they were presented before the anti-corruption court on Tuesday.
