A Kenya Defense Forces officer has admitted to obtaining and paying Sh 2.4 million “facilitation fee” for his relatives to join Kenya Prison Services.
Anthony Barongo, who denied that the money was a bribe, told the court that he gave the money as a facilitation fee for his relatives to join the service.
Barongo was testifying against Nelson Mukara Sechere who is charged with forging a National Police Service recruitment letter after allegedly receiving the Sh 2 million fee.
During cross-examination by Sechere’s lawyer Danstan Omari, the witness was put to task to explain the total amount of money he allegedly gave to the accused.
After calculating the money, it amounted to Sh 2 million and not Sh 2.4 as alleged in his statement.
The witness failed to answer whether the Sh 400,000 remaining was his commission.
According to Barongo, he met Sechere through one Ashley Ayuma who is his relative and used her to transact the money to Sechere.
Omari questioned the KDF officer why he had not been charged with giving a bribe and told him the defence would be making an application to have him as a co-accused.
The court heard that Barongo met Sechere on three occasions, one at a hotel along Mombasa Road whose name he could not recall, and twice while giving him the “facilitation fee”.
The officer also told the court that he could not remember how he came to learn about the recruitment.
The court heard that two of Barongo’s relatives had raised Sh 800,000 to secure jobs at GK prisons for their two daughters. Money which he gave to a National police officer based in Murang’a.
Another Sh 435,500 was intended for a prison officer to secure the GK Prison Service recruitment.
The court heard that at all material times, Barongo was in Ashley Ayuma’s company and transacted the money through her.
The court further heard that six letters had been issued to the six applicants whose “facilitation fee” had been paid.
However, according to Barongo, none of them reported to Kiganjo because the letters turned out to be fake.
Barongo testified that Ayuma went to Kiganjo before to confirm whether the letters were genuine and was told they were not.
This led her to report the matter at Nairobi Regional Command where her statement and that of Barongo were taken.
When questioned whether the other people including the six applicants had recorded statements, he said no.
“The six applicants never recorded statements, neither did the people who gave the money, neither did the commandant at Kiganjo nor the National Police,” Omari questioned.
While concluding the cross-examination, Omari questioned the officer how safe Kenyans are if a KDF officer is soliciting money from them purporting he can employ them.
At the end of his testimony, the Magistrate put him to task to explain what facilitation fee was in regards to the money he paid. Barongo responded that “it is money you give someone for them to do something for you”.
The hearing will continue on 28th February 2022.
