A businesswoman, who has been charged in connection with the National Youth Service (NYS) scandal has revealed that former devolution CS, Anne Waiguru played a lead role  in the irregular payments that saw the body lose 791m.

According to Ms Josephine Kabura Irungu, in a sworn affidavit deposited in court, Waiguru planned, facilitated and protected the people involved in the NYS scandal. Kabura says that Waiguru, who has continuously distanced herself from the scandal, was involved at all levels and held several meetings with her and various highly placed government officials.

Ms Kabura, who is seeking to be enjoined as an interested party in a case filed by the Asset Recovery Agency against eight suspects including her, who are alleged to have benefited from the Sh 791m scandal maintains that the former CS even helped her to register the companies that she used to conduct the fraudulent transactions with NYS and also gave her instructions on which bank and branch (Family Bank KTDA plaza) to open accounts with.

Kabura says that on October 7, 2014, she met Waiguru’s personal assistant, Betty Maina, at a restaurant near Uchumi House, where she handed seven copies of incorporation for the companies Waiguru had assisted her to register.

“Waiguru called a Mr Raphael Ndunda who was an employee of family bank. As head of compliance, his role was to ensure that the accounts were opened and operated without any hiccups,” says Ms Kabura adding that Waiguru also devised ways to ways to divert the public attention and mislead investigative agencies.

“MUTAHI NGUNYI HELPED WAIGURU CLEAN UP NYS MESS”

Ms Kabura, a hair dresser, has also named controversial political analyst, Mutahi Ngunyi and two journalists namely; Mr Mwaniniki Munuhe and Mr Maina Kamore, whom she claims aided Waiguru in spreading propaganda to clear her name and divert public attention.

“Mr Mutahi advised Waiguru to do an official statement to cool down public anger and to also draft a backdated letter on the purportedly stolen password,” Kabura says.

Mutahi Ngunyi has already denied the allegations terming Kabura’s affidavit a “smear campaign”.

“The NYS affidavit by Josephine ‘whatever’ is a lie. If she met Waiguru and others, I was not there. If in doubt, you can sit on a pin,” he tweeted.

ARRESTED TEMPORARILY

She also says that Waiguru had explained that she would only be arrested calculatedly and only “funny charges” would be preferred against her as a decoy to reduce the pressure for the CS to resign.

Others, named by Kabura in her affidavit include; Joseph Mugwanja, who is said to be a director of the Banking Fraud Unit , Mr Hassan Noor, who was the chief of staff at the Devolution Ministry, Mr Adan Harakhe, then a senior NYS official.

DPP CHARGES NYS SUSPECTS WITH MONEY LAUNDERING

The director of public prosecutions (DPP) Keriako Tobiko has charged 11 suspects linked to the NYS scandal with money laundering. The accused are; lawyer Patrick Onyango Ogola, John Kago, Josephine Kabura, Charity Gethi, Samuel Wachenje, Antony Gethi Kihara, Benson Gachoka, John Hope Vandamme, Martin Gachara Wanjohi and Jedida Wangari.

The assets recovery agency has filed a case to seize assets of the accused.