NAIROBI, Kenya — A husband and wife have been charged alongside an accomplice over the alleged theft of more than Sh22 million from the National Oil Corporation of Kenya, in a fraud scheme investigators say involved forged documents and fictitious supplier payments.
Detectives attached to the Investigations Bureau (IB) at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum arraigned the three suspects at the Kibera Law Courts on Thursday.
The accused are Gladys Kahaki Njubi, a former assistant accountant at the National Oil Corporation, her husband Griffin Nyakang’o Omwenga, and Nehemia Onyunge Kibegwa.
According to investigators, the trio conspired to fraudulently siphon Sh22,151,983 from the state-owned oil marketer through payments made to companies that had no contractual relationship with the corporation.
The case emerged after the National Oil Corporation lodged a complaint over the loss and misappropriation of funds. Detectives said investigations revealed that Njubi, who was responsible for processing supplier payments, was the alleged mastermind behind the scheme.
Police said she colluded with her husband and a third accomplice before resigning from her position.
Investigators told the court that Omwenga had registered five companies — Zoccom Enterprises Limited, Eceny Ventures Limited, Earthcare Supplier Services, Sparktec Ventures Limited, and Jaffer Petrofill Africa Limited — which received nearly Sh22 million from National Oil for services that were never rendered.
The companies had neither bid for tenders nor conducted any legitimate business with the corporation, detectives said.
To conceal the fraud, Njubi allegedly used genuine documents belonging to legitimate suppliers contracted by National Oil, ensuring the names of her husband’s companies did not raise suspicion during internal approval processes.
The third accused, Kibegwa, a director of Kensons Constructions Limited, is alleged to have received millions of shillings through similar payments, despite having no prior engagement with the corporation.
Upon completion of investigations, the file was submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which approved charges of conspiracy to defraud, theft by servant, forgery, and possession of proceeds of crime, among other offences.
The three suspects were arrested on January 28, 2026, and held at Akila Police Station before being arraigned in court.
They pleaded not guilty to all charges and were remanded pending a ruling on bond, which is scheduled for February 4, 2026.
