Ex-National Museums Chief Granted Ksh5M Bail: Shocking Twist Unfolds
Mzalendo Kibunja, ex-Director General of the National Museum of Kenya, along with six others accused of misappropriating Ksh490 million, have been released on a Ksh10 million bond each, or they can opt for a Ksh5 million cash bail instead.
On Tuesday, Milimani Chief Magistrate Victor Wakumile released the seven individuals after they pleaded not guilty to various charges brought against them by the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). Instead of traditional bail, they were granted a cash bail option of Ksh5 million each. The charges included conspiracy to commit corruption, abuse of office, financial misconduct, acquiring proceeds of crime, and money laundering.
Kibunja, along with Stanvas Ongola, Oliver Rabour, Wycliffe Ongata, and businessman Oscar Mwaura, along with his companies Altcoms Enterprises and Florah Technical Services, faced charges for mishandling Ksh490 million at the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) during the financial years spanning from 2015-16 to 2021-22.
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The initial charge against the defendants alleges that from January 2016 to February 1, 2022, they conspired to engage in corrupt activities, specifically embezzling Ksh441,392,075 of public funds. This sum was deceitfully disbursed as salaries and gratuities to individuals falsely claimed to be employees (referred to as “ghost workers”) of the National Museums of Kenya.
Kibunja faced individual charges for misusing his authority by inappropriately authorizing the payment of Ksh441,392,075 to nonexistent projects at the NMK.
“Between June 2026 and February 1, 2022, within Nairobi County Kibunja being a public officer employed by Public Service to with Director General National Museums of Kenya failed to comply with Regulation 121 of the Public Finance Management of 2015 by incurring a wasteful expenditure of Ksh441,392,075 being salaries and gratuity paid to persons purportedly employed by NMK,” the charge sheet states.
Odhiambo was accused of allegedly receiving Ksh14,560,446 from Mwaura and Owuor via his company, Galmalink Enterprises. It was alleged that he knowingly accepted this money, which was purportedly obtained unlawfully from the National Museum of Kenya and disbursed as salaries to fictitious employees.
Mwaura, via his enterprise Altcoms Enterprises, is accused of unlawfully obtaining Ksh24,510,000 from NMK between September 2021 and June 2022.
Ex-National Museums Chief Granted Ksh5M Bail: Shocking Twist Unfolds