Former Tourism PS Rebecca Nabutola and Kenya Tourism Board former MD Achieng Ong’ong’a were both jailed in 2012 after they were found guilty of defrauding the tourism ministry Ksh Sh8.9 million
The two appealed against the ruling but their appeal was rejecting, forcing them to stay in jail for 5 good years.
Being the Permanent Secretary, Nabutola was the accounting officer, who knew how the money disappeared from the account. The appeal judge, justice Macharia, noted that Ong’onga and Nabutola were the main architects, they therefore deserved even more years in jail.
Being a public figure and someone who had held senior positions in government,Nabutola didn’t imagine that one day she would stay in jail with the ‘lowly’, but as fate would dictate, she is still in Langata prison waiting to complete her jail term.
Looking at her biography, which goes like this:
“Rebecca M. Nabutola (born January 17, 1959) is the former Permanent Secretary (PS) of Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife. She studied at the Institute of Social Studies, Hague, earning a diploma in International Relations and Development, and at the University of Nairobi, where she earned a bachelor of arts”, you won’t imagine she could land in jail because of a simple blunder.
Imagine, her case resulted from a planned trip to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve to view the Wildebeest migration. Where she is said to have authorized the overstated payment from the Ministry’s kitty while it was to be funded by the stake holders. It resulted to her being slapped with 5 good years.
Comparing the Ksh8 million and the Ksh1.6 billion that has disappeared from NYS , you couldn’t believe that the suspects are still free.
