Itumbi fails to appear in court, says his life is in danger

Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) nominee for ICT and Digital Economy Dennis Itumbi skipped his court hearing on Monday, March 20, 2023 claiming his life was in danger alleging he had been adversely mentioned by Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya leader Raila Odinga in relation to the ongoing demonstrations in the country.

Lawyer Katwa Kigen, who is defending him in the case in which he is accused of forging a letter alleging former top government officials wanted to kill the then Deputy President William Ruto who is now Kenya's fifth President, told Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi that Itumbi was apprehensive following the intelligence reports relayed to him by security agents.

"My client is not in court. Itumbi's name was mentioned by the principal planner of the demonstrations and he was advised to stay away from the city during the period for his own security," Kigen told Shitubi.

As a result, the lawyer sought to have the matter taken out from the hearing list for another date.

The prosecution did not oppose the request to have the case adjourned.

The magistrate, however, indulge Itumbi and stood over the case to June 7, 2023 when he will defend himself in the case of circulating a fake letter over Ruto's assassination plot at La Mada Hotel in 2019.

In the case, several politicians among them five former senators, three former Cabinet Secretaries, current 14 MPs, five former MPs, five parastatals officials who allegedly attended the La Mada meeting in May 2019 we expected in court today to testify in the case.

Itumbi, who has a case to answer, has proposed to have the politician summoned to give evidence in the case as his witnesses.

The CCTV of La Mada Hotel was also expected to be played in court to show those who attended the meeting.

Itumbi found with a case to answer

In the case, Itumbi was found with a case to answer together with his co-accused person Samwel Gateri in September 2021.

According to the charge sheet, the two, on or before June 20, 2019, published a letter dated May 30, 2019, with the intent to cause anxiety to the general public.

Itumbi is charged with making a false document without authority and publishing a false statement.

The prosecution claims he authored the said letter dated May 30, 2019, purporting it to be a genuine document made by a Cabinet Secretary a fact he knew to be false.