Kenyan Woman Receives Sh3.8 Million from NYS for Supplying Nothing, Reports to EACC

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has opened a probe into an incident in which over Sh3 million was deposited into a Kenyan woman’s bank account by the National Youth Service (NYS) despite not doing any business with the agency.

Emily Nyambura, a businesswoman, is said to have received Sh3.75 million in her account in two tranches from the NYS but she had not supplied anything to the youth agency.

The first deposit of Sh1,895,366 was made to her Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) account on December 30th, 2019, for the alleged supply of bread to the NYS. Having not supplied the said goods, Nyambura instructed the bank to wire the amount back to NYS, which the lender did.

Three weeks later on February 20th, 2020, she received a further Sh1,862,687, yet she had not supplied anything to NYS.

Nyambura reported the suspicious transactions to EACC, which moved to court on Thursday seeking to have the account frozen. Nyambura insisted she has never transacted with the NYS.

“It is imperative that the commission preserves the said public funds by prohibiting the respondents, her agents, servants or any other person from withdrawing or transferring the money,” said EACC in court documents as reported by Daily Nation.

An initial investigation by EACC showed that the payment to Nyambura was not supported by any documentation.

“The commission reasonably suspects that the said sum is public property being embezzled by public officials at the National Youth Service through remittance to the respondent’s bank account,” EACC added.

Former Youth Affairs Principal Secretary Lillian Omollo Mbogo, former NYS Director-General Nelson Githinji and four members of the Ngirita family are among over 30 suspects who currently facing charges over Sh9 billion NYS scandal.