NAIROBI, Kenya- The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has recovered KSh13 million from a former Nairobi City Council official linked to the controversial KSh283 million cemetery land scandal, marking another step in the long-running effort to reclaim stolen public funds.
The money was recovered from Mary Ng’ethe, who served as Chairperson of the Technical Evaluation Committee during the procurement process.
According to the EACC, she received the funds as a kickback for her role in facilitating the fraudulent deal.
In a judgment delivered on March 24, 2026, Justice Benjamin Musyoki of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Court found Ng’ethe to be a central figure in the scheme.
The court ruled that she orchestrated and influenced a flawed procurement process, and that the money she received constituted proceeds of corruption that must be returned to the public.
Investigations by the EACC established that the defunct City Council of Nairobi lost substantial funds in the irregular acquisition of land intended for cemetery use under tender number CCN/MOH/T/020/08/09.
The probe revealed that the land purchased was unsuitable for its intended purpose and that the contract price had been significantly inflated.
Of the Sh283 million paid out, only Sh110 million went to the registered landowner, while the remaining funds were irregularly distributed among individuals who facilitated the transaction.
Those implicated in the scandal were subsequently charged and convicted on various counts, including procurement irregularities and money laundering.
Ng’ethe herself was convicted in 2018 and sentenced to three years in prison on two counts, alongside a mandatory fine of Sh52 million.
The anti-graft agency says it has so far recovered more than KSh80 million through eight civil suits targeting beneficiaries of the scheme, in addition to fines imposed following criminal convictions.
However, one criminal case related to the scandal remains pending in court.
The Commission has reiterated its commitment to pursuing both asset recovery and prosecution, as part of broader efforts to deter corruption and safeguard public resources.
