The High Court sitting in Milimani has delivered a new ruling in the ongoing graft case against former Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria and 7 others.
Following his application filed under Certificate of Urgency before the High Court to stop EACC from arresting him over the Sh140 million Murang’a graft case, former Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria’s Personal Assistant Peter Muturi Karanja has been ordered to pay a cash bail of Sh300,000 before the close of business, today, Friday, 19th April 2024 failure to which the anticipatory bail would lapse.
In his ruling on Thursday, Justice Sifuna ordered the accused to present himself before EACC on Monday April 22, for fingerprint taking and statement recording, then proceed to the Anti-Corruption Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for plea taking.
In addition, Justice Sifuna clarified that the conservatory orders secured from Murang’a High Court by Mwangi Wa Iria only stopped the prosecution of three accused persons namely Mwangi Wa Iria, Jane Waigwe Kimani and Solomon Mutura Kimani, and as such, the other 7 suspects should proceed to take plea.
This comes a day after Justice Nduma Nderi of the Employment and Labour Relations Court on Thursday, reinstated suspended Bomas of Kenya CEO Peter Gitaa Koria. He is among top officials suspended from office to allow imvestigations.
EACC is opposed to the return of suspended officials, especially CEOs, back to office until completion of investigations citing the need keep them away to protect the integrity of investigations.
In its court papers, EACC said that a CEO cannot be effectively investigated while in office since they could interfere with smooth flow of documents and evidentiary material to the Commission or threaten/ intimidate witnesses working under them.
Last week, in a similar petition, the Court quashed the supension of KETRACO General Manager Antony Wamukota who is also under corruption investigations.
EACC has since moved to the Court of Appeal arguing that the ruling in the Wamukota case has serious adverse effects in the fight against corruption.
Dissatisfied with the ruling in the Bomas of Kenya case, EACC will move to the Court of Appeal.