Remember when we all lost our sh*t after Bungoma county bought 10 wheelbarrows at a cost of more than Sh1 million, translating to Sh109,000 each? It was probably the biggest scandal in 2015 before the National Youth Service took centre stage.
Three years down the line, justice has finally been served, albeit late, after seven suspects were ordered to pay fines or serve varied jail sentences.
Kakamega Senior Principal Magistrate Thomas Muraguri delivered the ruling on behalf of Senior Magistrate Bildard Ochieng, who was reported to be unwell.
One of the guilty officials, Juma Matsanza, who was the accounting officer in the Finance department, was handed a two-year jail term or Sh400,000 fine for each of his two counts.
He was convicted on two counts of willful failure to comply with the law relating to management and incurring of expenditure contrary to section 45 (2) (b) of the Anti-Corruption and Economics Crimes Act of 2003.
The others Ayub Tuvuka China, Howard Lukadilu, Oscar Onyango Ojwang’, Arlington Shikuku Omusieni, Jacqueline Nanjala Namukati and Reuben Rutto were each fined 300,000 or serve one and a half years in default on each of the counts.
They were found guilty of willful failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to procurement and tendering of contracts contrary to section 45 (2) (b) as read with section 48 (1) of the Anti-Corruption and Economics Crimes Act of 2003.
The court dismissed an application by lawyers to have the convicted officials released on bail pending filing of an appeal.
