The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has charged a couple with 41 counts over an alleged multi-million-shilling pension fraud scheme targeting several pension schemes in Kenya.
Alex Okoth Nalwenje and his wife, Esther Nyambura Kamande, appeared before Kibera Chief Magistrate Stella Atambo, where they denied all the charges and sought lenient bail and bond terms.
The charges include conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretences, fraudulent false accounting, and offences relating to the acquisition, possession and use of proceeds of crime.
According to the prosecution, the two, alongside other individuals who are yet to be charged, allegedly orchestrated a scheme through which names were irregularly entered into the payrolls of several pension schemes.
The affected schemes include those associated with Ernst & Young, Swissport, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), Nestlé, Cadbury and Nokia.
Prosecutors allege that the individuals were fraudulently presented as legitimate pension beneficiaries, thereby misleading the respective schemes into releasing retirement and other related benefits.
The prosecution team, led by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Maryann Mwangi and Principal Prosecution Counsel Michael Mutune, did not oppose the couple’s release on bail but urged the court to consider the seriousness of the charges when setting the terms.
In her ruling, Magistrate Atambo granted Nalwenje a bond of KSh3 million, while Kamande was granted a bond of KSh1 million with one surety of a similar amount, or an alternative cash bail of KSh1 million.
The court further ordered both accused persons to surrender their passports and report to the investigating officer once every month, unless directed otherwise.
The case will be mentioned on November 17, 2026, for pre-trial directions.
