NAIROBI, Kenya – Senior National Treasury officials and private company directors accused of misappropriating Sh1.57 billion under the Programme for Rural Outreach of Financial Innovation and Technology (PROFIT) have been released on bond after denying 121 charges before the Anti-Corruption Court in Nairobi.
The nine accused persons appeared before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court on Tuesday, where they pleaded not guilty to charges arising from alleged financial misconduct under the government programme.
The accused include the Head of the Accounting Unit at the National Treasury, the PROFIT Programme Coordinator and a Senior Accountant, alongside six company directors and proprietors.
They face a total of 121 charges, including abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of public property, uttering a false document, financial misconduct, acquisition of proceeds of crime and multiple counts of money laundering.
Court grants varying bond terms
Anti-Corruption Magistrate Rose Ndobi granted the accused bond terms ranging from Sh1 million to Sh20 million, depending on the charges facing each individual and the circumstances of their cases.
The alternative cash bail amounts range from Sh300,000 to Sh10 million.
In granting the terms, the court also ordered all nine accused persons to surrender their passports and prohibited them from leaving the country without permission from the court.
Magistrate Ndobi warned that warrants of arrest would be issued against any accused person who fails to appear in court for plea-taking or subsequent proceedings.
“In granting the bond terms, the court arrived at different bond and bail terms depending on the nature of the charges each of the accused persons faces,” Ndobi said.
“The court has considered the nature of the offences and the amounts involved in arriving at the appropriate bond and cash bail terms,” she added.
Treasury officials face higher bond
The court imposed some of the highest bond requirements on the senior Treasury officials accused in the case.
The PROFIT Programme Coordinator was granted a Sh10 million bond or Sh5 million cash bail.
The Head of the Accounting Unit and the Senior Accountant were each granted a Sh5 million bond or Sh2 million cash bail.
The remaining accused persons, who include private company directors and proprietors, were granted bond terms ranging between Sh1 million and Sh20 million, with the corresponding cash bail amounts determined according to their respective charges.
Defence seeks favourable terms
Through their lawyers, the accused persons asked the court to impose favourable bond and bail terms.
The defence cited several considerations, including health concerns and the nature of the charges against their clients.
The prosecution, led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Alex Akula, urged the court to exercise its discretion within the law when determining the appropriate bond and bail conditions.
The court subsequently considered the nature of the alleged offences, the amounts involved and the individual circumstances before issuing the terms.
The release on bond does not determine the guilt or innocence of the accused. The prosecution will be required to prove the allegations against each accused person as the case proceeds.
Case to continue in September
The case is expected to return to court on September 2, 2026, for further directions.
The proceedings will focus on allegations surrounding the management and expenditure of funds under the PROFIT Programme, with the accused facing charges that include alleged diversion or unlawful acquisition of public resources and laundering of suspected proceeds.
The case places renewed scrutiny on financial controls within government-funded programmes and the mechanisms used to safeguard public money.
For now, the nine accused persons remain out of custody on court-issued bond and bail terms as they await the next stage of the proceedings.
