Five people are on trial in Nairobi's Milimani Law Courts for allegedly scheming to defraud the government out of millions of shillings in subsidized fertilizer.

In the first instance, Kipkorir Ronald Tanui and Edwin Ombui Oseko, both public servants, are accused of conspiring to cheat the Kenyan government of 19,913 bags of 50kg subsidy fertilizer worth Ksh.49,789,500.

PHOTO | COURTESY Gov’t Officials Among 5 Charged With Theft Of Subsidized Fertilizer

The two are also charged with abuse of office; Kiprotich Ronald Tonui, the Assistant Director of Information Communication Technology, is accused of recommending the registration of Wilson Letunya Mempe as a farmer with 1,800 acres of crop farming land in Meleo, Narok.

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Letunya redeemed 7,200 bags of subsidized fertilizer valued at Ksh.18 million due to this action, which was detrimental to the Agriculture and Livestock Department.

Kiprotich is also accused of advocating Wilson Sesat Marindany's registration as a farmer with 1,200 acres of agricultural farming land at Sogoo in Narok, which would result in the said person redeeming a total of 4,800 bags, each 50kg of fertilizer worth at Ksh.12 million.

PHOTO | COURTESY the suspects in court

Edwin Ombui Oseko, the Principal Agricultural Officer and Head of the Fertiliser Unit at Kilimo House is accused of instructing a junior officer in the ICT department to register Benjamin Mosbey Ruto as a farmer with 1,000 acres of land in Narok's Ololulung'a, resulting in the person redeeming a total of 4,304 bags of government subsidy fertilizer worth Ksh.10.7 million.

Kiprotich appeared in court and was released on a Ksh.100,000 police bond. The two are scheduled to enter pleas on November 27, 2023.

Bimack Kipchirchir, Samuel Kipkosgei Kugo, and Harry Kiprop are accused in a separate case of conspiring to cheat the government of 6,150 bags worth Ksh.15,375,000.

Kipchirchir is accused of obtaining 3,349 bags of fertilizer worth Ksh.8,522,500 from various National and Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and Kenya National Trading Cooperation warehouses in Kenya between September 4 and October 16, 2023.

PHOTO | COURTESY  Subsidized Fertilizer

Kipkosgei is accused of lying about owning 600 acres of land in Kilgoris, Narok, between August 3 and September 23, 2023, to collect 2,801 bags of subsidy fertilizer worth Ksh.7 million.

The three rejected the charges in front of Milimani Law Courts Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi, who ordered them to post a bond of Ksh.8 million apiece with one surety or Ksh.4 million in cash bail. The case will be heard in pre-trial on December 8, 2023.