James Ambuso, a former finance manager at the Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA), was on Tuesday sentenced to 24 years in prison for soliciting and collecting Sh910,000 bribes 10 years ago.
Senior Principal Magistrate Eunice Nyutu of the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court offered him the option of paying an alternative fine of Sh7.6 million.
While delivering the ruling, Nyutu said the accused person had a responsibility to defend public resources, but did the exact reverse.
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“The accused was a public officer when he committed the offence. He had a duty to safeguard public resources, but he did the opposite and used the resources to benefit himself. Such actions are to be frowned up and I want to send a strong message to public officers that the use of public recourses for personal enrichment shall not be tolerated,” she said.
Ambuso was accused of soliciting from Geoffrey Mworia a Sh445,000 bribe in order to facilitate the disbursement of WARMA Mombasa Regional Office operations and development monies.
He also received Sh160,000 from Simon Wachira Wang’ombe and Sh465,000 from Boniface Mbeu Mwaniki to help the WARMA Nanyuki regional office and Tana Catchment Area run more smoothly.
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He is also facing a second count in which he is said to have on the same dates transferred the same amount through MPesa to Mworia through Patrick Masaku as an incentive, contrary to the Anti-corruption Act.
The prosecution also accused him of receiving a bribe of Sh465,000 on December 12, 2012, and April 2013 from Boniface Mwaniki.
He was found guilty on four counts and acquitted on two others.
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