Three KDF Officers Arraigned In Martial Court For Recruitment Fraud

Three KDF service personnel have today been arraigned at a Court Martial in Kahawa Garrison for various recruitment malpractices that they indulged in between 2013 and 2021.

Major Ben Kipkogei Chemjor of School of Infantry (SOI), Senior Private Douglas Kaburu Nyarondia of 77 Artillery Battalion and Senior Private Benard Ayiera Onchomba of 7 Kenya Rifles were each charged on multiple counts of recruitment-related offences which they all pleaded not guilty to.

Major Chemjor was charged with obtaining money by false pretence contrary to section 313 of the Penal code and conduct to prejudice of good order and service discipline contrary to section 121 of the KDF Act 2012. He appeared before Judge Advocate Diana Mochache on Court Martial 14/21 for the offences he allegedly committed during the February 2021 recruitment drive.

The accused was alleged to have obtained two hundred thousand Kenya Shillings on 09 Feb 2021 from Mr Mohamed Shambaro with a promise that he would influence the recruitment of Abdulaziz Barisa Shambaro in Minjila, Tana River County while deployed as a Recruiting Officer. On another count, the accused allegedly obtained one hundred and fifty thousand Kenya Shillings from Emmanuel Nguah Mwandege in Malindi while in the third charge the accused allegedly asked for one hundred and seventy thousand Kenya Shillings as recruitment inducement from Celetine Achieng Odero in Malindi.

Prior to taking his plea, Major Chemjor requested the court to be allowed more time to hire a defence counsel. The Judge Advocate ruled that the accused should take plea.

“Even if you had an attorney-representation, he/she would not take plea on your behalf,” she guided.

The Court Prosecutor Colonel Symon Yator further noted that the accused was served in sufficient in advance with documents he intended to rely on and charge sheet for the accused to prepare for his trial. The accused was given two weeks to hire a Counsel and to prepare for his defence.

Senior Private Douglas Kaburu Nyarondia and Benard Ayiera Onchomba were each charged with various recruitment mal-pratices.

They all denied the charges and their cases were adjourned to give them sufficient time to prepare their defences before a pre-trial session on 19 August 2021.

Investigations by the Military Police linked the three to the vices and have since played a pivotal role in facilitating the indictment of the
accused persons.