BY IRENE ONYANGO.
The Director General of the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) Stephen Ongenga has been charged with abuse of office over a multi-million tender.
Ongenga was charged alongside James Waweru and Sheila Wambui Nyakinyua, the directors of Xponics ltd, which won the tender for the supply, maintenance and repair of sewing machines at NITA.
They were presented before Milimani anti-corruption principal magistrate Ziporah Gichana and denied several counts related to a tender given to Xponics ltd.
Ongenga is alleged to have used his office to improperly confer a benefit of Sh4,800,654,00 to Xponics Limited, an offence he allegedly committed between 31 January, 2019 and 30th June 2021.
The court was informed that Ongenga authorized payments to Xponics Ltd in respect of Tender No. NITA/12/2017-2018 for the supply, delivery installation, commissioning, training, servicing, maintenance and repair of sewing and training machines.
Waweru and Wambui were accused of falsifying the tender to ensure an unfair advantage in respect of Tender No. NITA/12/2017-201 for the supply, maintenance and repair of sewing and training machines for the FY 2017/2018.
They allegedly committed the offence between 15th April 2019 and 30th June, 2021, being the directors of Xponics ltd. They were further accused of fraudulently acquiring Sh10,189,064.69 belonging to the state agency.
The trio are further charged with engaging in a fraudulent practice by submitting a falsified bid for the supply, maintenance and repair of sewing and training machines.
The court ordered the former NITA Director Paul Kipsang Kosgei to appear for plea taking on 5th June having failed to appear with the others.
The accused persons were released on a bond of Sh 5 million each or an alternative cash bail of Sh1 million each.
