The National Lands Commission (NLC) official whose body was found in Ngong Forest on Monday, March 15, was the key witness in a multi-million corruption case at the Magistrate's Court at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.
Jeniffer Wambua, who was the commission’s deputy communications director, had not been seen since Friday, March 12, and a missing person report was filed at the Capitol Hill Police Station, Nairobi by her husband.
According to the documents filed in court, Wambua had testified in case number MCCR 2053/2018 in February and was to be cross-examined on Wednesday, March 17, 2021.
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However, after she gave her first testimony, Wambua never attended court after she claimed she was unwell.
On the day she was to be cross-examined, Wambua through the state counsel told the court she was sick and admitted at MP Shah Hospital.
The case was adjourned to March 17.
Reportedly, Wambua had expressed fears while testifying in the case.
In her evidence before the court, she had produced invoice number 0070 dated March 22, 2017, of Sunday Express publisher for the Ministry of Information and Communication for Sh5, 050,000.
The documents also reveal another invoice number 002 dated June 13, 2013, for Express Media Group Limited to the ministry.
She also produced another invoice, number 180 dated June 13, 2016, for Johnnewton Communication Limited for payment of Sh9.8 million by the same ministry.
Testifying before Nairobi Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi, the witness said they did not authorize the contract to be published in the media magazines implicated in the scandal.
She gave the court details of the contracts she authorized and the ones she declined as the NLC communications deputy director.
Wambua testified against Sammy Ishiundu Itemere, Lugari MP Ayub Savula, and his two wives, who are among 30 suspects and companies implicated in the case.
According to the prosecutor, the suspects jointly conspired to steal Sh122, 335, 500 million from the ministry on diverse dates between July 1, 2015, and August 30, 2018, at the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications.
Other suspects and companies implicated in the case are Melody Gatwiri Ringera, Hellen Jepkor Keboi and Dennis Kuko Chebitwey.
