EACC
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has obtained court orders for the recovery of Ksh13 million from a former official of the defunct Nairobi City Council who is implicated in the Ksh283 million cemetery land scandal.
In an update on Thursday, March 26, EACC said the funds were recovered from Mary Ng’ethe, who served as Chairperson of the Technical Evaluation Committee.
According to the commission, the accused received the money as a kickback for her role in facilitating the fraudulent scheme.
In a judgment delivered on March 24, 2026, Justice Benjamin Musyoki of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Court found that Ng’ethe was central to the transaction.
“The court held that she orchestrated and guided the flawed procurement process and that the money she received was a reward for her involvement.
“The court further ruled that the funds rightfully belonged to the public and must be returned to the public coffers,” EACC stated.
Investigations by the graft body established that the City Council of Nairobi lost substantial public funds in the irregular procurement of land intended for use as a cemetery under tender notice CCN/MOH/T/020/08/09, valued at Ksh283 million.
The land acquired was unsuitable for cemetery use, and the contract price was grossly inflated. Of the total amount, Ksh110 million was paid to the registered owner, while the balance was fraudulently shared among individuals who facilitated the scheme.
Those implicated were charged, prosecuted, and convicted for various offences, including procurement irregularities and money laundering.
Ng’ethe was convicted by the Nairobi Anti-Corruption Criminal Court on May 15, 2018, and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on two counts, in addition to a mandatory fine of KSh52 million.
So far, EACC has recovered over Ksh80 million through eight civil suits targeting beneficiaries of the scheme, in addition to fines imposed following criminal convictions.
