The Director of Public Prosecutions has charged National Treasury officials and business proprietors with at least 121 counts over the alleged embezzlement and fraudulent disbursement of KSh1.57 billion under the Programme for Rural Outreach of Financial Innovation and Technologies, PROFIT.

The nine suspects, among them three National Treasury officials and six business proprietors or company directors, are accused of abusing their offices, unlawfully acquiring public property, financial misconduct, uttering false documents, acquiring proceeds of crime and money laundering.

The alleged loss amounts to KSh1.569 billion.

Among those charged are PROFIT Programme Coordinator John Ngure Kabutha, National Treasury Head of Accounting Unit Namwel Moturi Motanya and Senior Accountant John Maina Muriithi.

Also facing charges are business proprietors and directors including Gladys Juliet Oroni, Brian Kiprop Chepkarat, Ian Kwemoi Chepkarat, Josephat Kamau Kamoshe, James Omwodo Ndai and Jimmy Carter Odoyo Osodo.

According to the charge sheet, Kabutha and Project Accountant Billy Otieno Obango allegedly used their positions to authorize payments running into hundreds of millions of shillings to various private businesses.

One of the counts alleges that KSh73.8 million was irregularly paid to Mawindo Enterprises, while another alleges payments of KSh41.1 million to Brigs Agencies and KSh71.4 million to Greenbasil Agencies.

The prosecution has also accused some of the business proprietors of laundering proceeds allegedly obtained from the PROFIT programme.

In one count, Gladys Juliet Oroni is accused of transferring KSh13 million through an advocates’ client account for the purchase of several parcels of land, while another count alleges that KSh14.05 million was similarly transferred for land purchases.

They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.