In 2012, Kenya’s fight against corruption recorded one of its most talked-about moments after a landmark ruling was delivered by the anti-corruption court. The verdict shocked many because the people involved were not junior officers, but well-connected figures at the top of government.
At the centre of the case was Dr Achieng’ Ong’ong’a, who was serving as the Director General of the Kenya Tourism Board at the time. He was accused of defrauding the board of KSh 18 million, money meant to support the country’s tourism sector.
Dr Ong’ong’a is also the son of Achieng’ Oneko, a respected cabinet minister during Kenya’s independence era a detail that made the case even more sensitive and closely watched.
He was charged alongside Rebecca Nabutola, a Russia-trained economist who previously served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism. Prosecutors argued that the two abused their offices and played a role in the loss of public funds.
After hearing the case, the court handed down a tough sentence. Dr Ong’ong’a was jailed for two years and fined KSh 500,000, while Nabutola received a three-year prison sentence and a similar fine.
Although the pair were later released on cash bail after spending several weeks behind bars, their hopes of clearing their names did not last long. In 2016, the Appellate Court dismissed their appeal, effectively confirming the earlier High Court decision.
Today, Dr Ong’ong’a has rebuilt his life away from the tourism sector and works as a senior lecturer at the Technical University of Kenya. Nabutola, on the other hand, has completely withdrawn from public life, living quietly and far removed from the influence she once enjoyed.
The case remains a reminder that even powerful individuals can fall when public trust is abused and it still stands as one of Kenya’s most notable anti-corruption convictions.
