Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o has been arrested in Mombasa in connection with complaints filed against her in 2016.
The arrest follows a notice by the Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, Jacinta Nyamosi, indicating that Nyakang’o is among eleven individuals facing four charges, including conspiracy to defraud and operating a Sacco without a license, in violation of the law.
“We note that the file was first submitted for perusal and advice on July 6, 2022. Upon perusal, we identified some areas that needed to be covered. Vide our letter, Ref. No. ODPP/HQ/CAM/2/000389 dated September 2, 2022, we directed that the said areas be covered,” the ODPP said in a statement to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Nyakang’o’s co-accused include Jackson Ngure Wanjau, Susan Kendi, James Makena Wanyagi, John Muchira Kithaka, Jane Karuu Ndanyi, Muthoni Elphas, Joan Chumo, and Mercy Nduma Mukora. Others are Gregory Mwangangi Mailu and Michael Kipkurui.
Other charges include forgery and uttering a false document, as per section 353 of the penal code. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) received a letter from the complainant on October 31, 2023, outlining the alleged offenses. Upon review, the ODPP found sufficient evidence to charge the suspects.
Margaret Nyakang’o, in her role as the Controller of Budget (CoB), is responsible for monitoring the use of public funds in both national and county governments and presenting reports to Parliament on fund utilization. Since assuming office on December 4, 2019, Nyakang’o has been unearthing various graft and loopholes within the government.
On March 7, 2023, Nyakang’o confessed that she was coerced to sign off Ksh15 billion days before the 2022 General Election.
In June, Nyakang’o released the national government budget implementation review report for the first nine months of the financial year 2022–23. In her report, she revealed that KSh 363.66 billion was processed as salaries through the integrated personnel and payroll database and other approved systems. However, she noted that KSh 5.66 billion was paid outside the prescribed payroll management system, exposing another scandal.
