Plan to withdraw Jumwa’s murder charges delayed
Incoming Public Service Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa will have to wait longer before the murder charges she is facing are withdrawn.
This is after the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), through Senior State Counsel Vivian Kambuga, informed High Court judge Anne Ong’injo it was yet to withdraw the case since the office is yet to be furnished with specific details from the defense team on details of the out-of-court settlement.
“We cannot proceed with the application for withdrawal since the defense team led by lawyer Jared Magolo is yet to provide specific information on the agreement to have the matter settled out of court with the deceased’s family,” she said.
Justice Ong’injo ordered the matter to be adjourned following the new development.
She further ordered Jumwa to appear before the court after defense counsel Danstan Omari informed the court the politician was unable to appear in court in person since she was awaiting to be sworn in following Parliament’s approval of her nomination to the Cabinet.
“Your honour, there is a possibility that the second accused person might be sworn in immediately after Parliament’s approval. They have been instructed to be on standby and that is why she is absent from court today,” Omari said.
By-election
Justice Ong’injo further ordered Jumwa to surrender her passport to the court during the next hearing.
Jumwa (pictured) alongside her bodyguard Geoffrey Okuto are facing charges in the murder of Gumbao Jola who was shot and killed in 2020 during the Ganda by-election in Malindi sub county, Kilifi county.
Two weeks ago, Jumwa had made an application before the court seeking to have the matter settled with the deceased’s family.
She informed the court that there were ongoing negotiations with the Jola’s family to have them compensated for the loss of their kin after which Jumwa would be turned into a State witness in the murder case.
The case will be mentioned on November 30.
