Maasai Mara VC, 4 others freed on Sh10m bail in theft case
The suspects during the virtual court session on August 26, 2020.
What you need to know:
- The five senior public officers were accused of conspiring to misappropriate Sh177,007,754 from the university on diverse dates between January 24, 2016 and July 19, 2019.
Maasai Mara University Vice Chancellor Mary Walingo and four other suspects accused of corruption were on Wednesday released on Sh10 million bond each.
Nakuru Chief Magistrate Elizabeth also gave Prof Walingo, her deputies Simon Kasaine ole Sano (Administration, Finance and Planning) and John Almadi Obere (Academic and Student Affairs) and Finance Officer Anaclet Biket Okumu and Noor Hassan Abdi Sh20 million bond each with surety.
The suspects pleaded not guilty to corruption charges over misappropriation of Sh177 million from the institution.
The five senior public officers were accused of conspiring to misappropriate Sh177,007,754 from the university on diverse dates between January 24, 2016 and July 19, 2019.
Prof Walingo faced four other separate counts of abuse of office and wilful failure to comply with the law relating to the management of public funds.
According to the prosecution, Prof Walingo authorised the expenditure of Sh176 million and Sh82 million held at the universities bank accounts at Barclays, Equity, Cooperative and National banks without supportive documents.
She faced two similar counts with Ms Biket and one each with Mr Kassaine and Mr Almadi.
The five were further jointly charged with stealing Sh177 million from the university.
Ms Biket, the finance officer faced two separate counts of fraudulent false accounting.
The magistrate directed that the matter be mentioned on September 11, for pre-trial hearing.
