The Court of Appeal has upheld the acquittal of former Principal Secretary for Planning, Peter Oganga Mangiti, and 22 others in a Sh47.6 million graft case linked to the National Youth Service (NYS) Season 1 scandal.
Justices Jamila Mohammed, Francis Tuiyott, and Paul Nyamweya delivered the unanimous decision, overturning a 2022 High Court judgment that had revived corruption charges against Mangiti and his co-accused. The three-judge bench cited a lack of sufficient evidence and misapplication of legal standards by the High Court. "We accordingly allow the consolidated appeals herein, and hereby set aside the judgment of the High Court delivered on July 28, 2022, in its entirety," read the ruling, restating the 2018 decision by the Milimani Chief Magistrate's Court that had acquitted all the accused.
The case stemmed from allegations of irregular procurement and misappropriation of public funds amounting to Sh47.6 million, paid to Blue Star Enterprises for the supply of automotive training materials to NYS.
The accused included former NYS Deputy Director-General Adan Harakhe, supply chain officers, members of the Ministerial Tender Committee, and directors of Blue Star Enterprises, the company awarded the controversial tender.
