Two former accountants at the Ministry of Education were on Friday sentenced to serve seven and a half years in jail after a Nairobi court found them guilty of Sh2.5million graft.
The money was for the current expenditure at the Ministry of Education which had been entrusted in their custody.
The court ruled that they fraudulently acquired the money from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology in 2008.
Milimani Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi ruled that the prosecution had proved their graft case against Perminus Njoroge Kamau and Kepha Oseko Mareli.
It was alleged that on February 11, 2008, at the ministry's offices in Nairobi being the Head Cashier and accountant respectively, they fraudulently acquired a public property with a sum of Sh2.5 willion withdrawn as imprest from the Central Bank of Kenya.
The magistrate while sentencing Perminus Njoroge said he failed to comply with procedures which led to embezzlement of public funds which funds could have used to better the education system.
The magistrate also noted that Kepha Oseko was paid by the public to protect resources but became the enabler of embezzlement and the money could have been saved.
"He does not deserve the mercy of this court," the magistrate ruled.
The two accountants were also sentenced with Dorothy Katunge Kisavi who was fined Sh500,000.
Magistrate Mungambi in his ruling said that Katunge was not found guilty for any loss of funds.
They faced a total of 10 counts of fraudulent acquisition of public property, stealing by a person employed by public service, conspiracy to defraud and abuse of office.
Three other accused were released after the court acquitted them, they are Thomas Kubende Lunani, Zuwena Zainabu and Catherine Wanjiru Ngugi.
