NYS Scam Suspect Ben Gethi Found Guilty in Sh107 Million IEBC Tender Fraud

Ben Gethi, a prime suspect in the National Youth Service (NYS) scam, has been convicted of forging documents for a Sh107 million 2013 election tender.

Gethi was found guilty alongside three other suspects including Joyce Makena and two Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officers.

In a ruling on Monday, Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi of the anti-corruption court said the prosecution proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. The four convicts will be held at Industrial Area Remand Prison pending sentencing on Tuesday.

The court heard that Gethi and Makena submitted fake documents to IEBC with the intent of securing a tender for their company Solarmark Ltd.

“The aim was to lie to IEBC that the said company was qualified to participate in that tender while it was not,” ruled the magistrate.

“The two uttered the documents which they knew were false the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt failure to comply with the law relating procurement.”

The two IEBC officials were convicted of failing to comply with procurement laws and tampering with the solar lanterns tender document.

Two more suspects, both former IEBC officials, were acquitted over lack of evidence.