Former National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) Director General Paul Kipsang Kosgei was on Wednesday charged with abuse of office in a tender scam case.

Kosgei was arraigned at the Milimani Anti-Corruption court, where he faced charges of conferring a benefit of Ksh.5,388,410.69 to Xponics Limited by authorizing payments to the company in respect of the tender for the supply, delivery, installation, commissioning, training, service, maintenance and repair of sewing and training machines.

Prosecution Counsel Jeremiah Walusala told the court that the accused allegedly committed the offence between January 31 and March 29, 2019.

Kosgei pleaded not guilty to the charge before Principal Magistrate Zipporah Gichana and was granted a Ksh.3 million bond with a surety of a similar amount or Ksh.1 million cash bail alternative.

The court also directed the accused to deposit his passport at the registry and warned him against interfering with witnesses.

Kosgei’s arraignment comes three days after NITA’s Director General Stephen Ogenga was charged alongside Xponics Limited, James Waweru and Sheila Wambui Nyakinyua for abuse of office and fraudulent accusation of public property respectively.

Ogenga is accused of presenting a falsified bid to ensure an unfair advantage in respect of the tender for supply, delivery, installation, commissioning, training, servicing, maintenance and repair of sewing and training machines for the 2017/18 financial year.

The matter will be mentioned on June 18 for pre-trial.