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Sirisia MP John Waluke, Wakhungu to know fate of bail today

Friday, September 25th, 2020 00:00 | By
Sirisia MP John Waluke (right) and co-accused Grace Wakhungu who were sentenced over a Sh297 million maize scandal. Photo/PD/FILE

Sirisia MP John Waluke and his business associate Grace Wakhungu will today know whether the High Court will release them on bail pending hearing and determination of an appeal against their imprisonment.

The legislator is serving a 37-year sentence at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison while 80-year-old Wakhungu is serving a 39-year sentence at the Lang’ata Women Prison after they were unable to raise a combined fine of Sh2 billion imposed on them by chief magistrate Elizabeth Juma of Milimani Anti-Corruption Court on June 22.

Justice Onyiego set the ruling date after hearing the application for bail pending appeal by the two convicts. The two have been in prison for the last three months.

In their application, Waluke and Wakhungu through lawyers Cliff Ombeta, Elijah Ongoya, Sam Nyaberi, Evans Ondieki, Danstan Omari, Paul Muite and Duncan Okubasu had told the court their sentences are unsafe since they were condemned on duplicity of charges which were not proved beyond reasonable doubt as required in criminal law, because the trial court was under pressure.

The lawyers argued that the trial magistrate rushed in imposing harsh sentence against Waluke and Wakhungu in the Sh297 million maize scandal and in the process, forgot to clarify whether the jail terms were to run concurrently or consecutively.

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