A husband and wife, alongside an alleged accomplice, have been charged with offences linked to the theft and misappropriation of more than Sh22 million from the National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK), following investigations by detectives attached to the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum.
The three were arraigned on Thursday after the Investigations Bureau (IB) concluded inquiries into what authorities described as a fraudulent scheme that led to the misappropriation of Sh22,151,983 from the state-owned oil firm.
According to investigators, the case stemmed from a formal complaint lodged by the National Oil Corporation over the loss of substantial public funds.
Detectives launched investigations, which revealed that Gladys Kahaki Njubi, a former assistant accountant at NOCK, was “the mastermind behind these fraudulent activities.”
Investigators said Njubi allegedly conspired with her husband, Griffin Nyakang’o Omwenga, and a third suspect, Nehemia Onyunge Kibegwa, to siphon millions of shillings from the corporation before resigning from her position.
Court documents indicate that Omwenga had established five companies—Zoccom Enterprises Limited, Eceny Ventures Limited, Earthcare Supplier Services, Sparktec Ventures Limited, and Jaffer Petrofill Africa Limited.
Despite the firms having “neither bid for any services nor conducted any business with the National Oil Corporation,” they collectively received close to Sh22 million for services that were never rendered.
Detectives further revealed that Njubi, in her role as an assistant payable accountant, was responsible for processing payments at the corporation.
To conceal the link between the fraudulent payments and her husband’s companies, she allegedly used genuine documents from legitimate firms contracted by NOCK, ensuring that the names of the beneficiary companies “remained undetected by signatories.”
The third suspect, Kibegwa, who is a director of Kensons Constructions Limited, is also accused of benefitting from the scheme.
Investigators said his company received millions of shillings “despite having no prior bidding or engagement with the National Oil Corporation.”
After completing the investigations, the case file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
Following a review, the ODPP approved charges against the three suspects, including conspiracy to defraud, theft by servant, forgery, and possession of proceeds of crime, among other offences.
“The ODPP concurred with the investigators’ recommendations to charge the three,” the investigators said in a statement.
The suspects were arrested on January 28, 2026, and held at Akila Police Station before being presented at the Kibera Law Courts.
They pleaded not guilty to all charges and were remanded in custody pending a bond ruling scheduled for February 4, 2026.
