Former Nairobi County Officials in Cemetery Scandal Fined Ksh77 Million

The court has sentenced two ex-Nairobi County Council officials, Boniface Okerosi and Cephas Kamande to a mandatory two-year jail term and a fine of Ksh77.2 million

This follows their conviction over being at the centre of the multi-million shilling Mavoko Cemetery land scandal.

Making the judgement, Chief Magistrate Felix Kombo further ruled that the two would serve an additional one year in jail if they fail to raise the fine.

[caption caption="Boniface Okerosi and Cephas Kamande consulting in the court room"][/caption]

The two were part of four Nairobi County officials who colluded by other suspects in the Ksh283 million cemetery land scandal which stalled plans to acquire new burial grounds for the city.

Chief Magistrate Kombo fined Misera, a former procurement officer at the county, Ksh40 million for fraudulently pocketing Ksh10 million from the defunct Nairobi City Council.

She further ruled that Kamande, a land surveyor, would pay a Ksh37.2 million fine for pocketing Ksh9.3 million in the same case. The two were found guilty of having forged land transfer documents and obtaining money illegally in the land scam.

Taxpayers lost nearly Ksh160 million in the purchase of 120 acres land in Mavoko Township.

According to Section 48 (2) (a) of the Anti-Corruption and Economics Crime Act, a person convicted of an such an offence shall be liable to a mandatory fine equal to two times the amount of the benefit or loss.

This is applicable if the conduct that constituted the offence, saw the person under investigation receive a quantifiable benefit or if any other person suffered a quantifiable loss.

[caption caption="Okerosi and Kamande after the sentensing"][/caption]

Other than experts revealing that the land was unsuitable for a graveyard, the courts also found that the price was equally inflated.

  • . . .