Wainaina’s co-accused Roselyne Oluoch went ahead and denied the charges levelled against her.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 8 – Nairobi County Chief of Staff George Wainaina failed to appear in court Friday to face graft charges after he was taken ill and admitted to the Karen Hospital.
His lawyer Cliff Ombetta asked the court to allow Wainaina to plead to the charges at a later date.
Wainaina is facing five counts of trying to bribe Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko with Sh1 million to have a suit he filed over the Loresho land owned by Nairobi water and Sewerage Company dropped.
“On 5th January, 2016 at Kenyatta International Convention Centre, at Hon. Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko’s office within Nairobi City County, being a person employed by a public body to wit, Nairobi City County as County Chief of Staff corruptly offered a benefit of Sh1,000,000 to Hon, Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko as an inducement to him not to pursue the matter,” the first count read.
He is further accused of giving the Senator Sh500,000 through his secretary Roseline Oluoch so as not to pursue the matter of graft within City Hall.
The prosecution through Lawyer Daniel Karuri wanted the court to issue a warrant for Wainaina’s arrest but it was ruled that he was not obliged to appear in court and was only required to report to the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission offices on Friday morning.
A letter from the Karen Hospital indicated that he had been admitted with acute muscle and joint pains and is being observed for a period of time.
“The above named patient has been admitted at the Karen Hospital with acute muscle and joint pains associated with generalised body weakness. He is undergoing extensive laboratory and imaging studies to ascertain the cause of his symptoms,” the letter stated.
Principal Magistrate Felix Kombo stated that a warrant would be issued after seven days.
Oluoch went ahead to take a plea but denied the charges levelled against her.
“Being a person employed by a public body as secretary she was found in possession of Sh500,000 that had been acquired as a result of corrupt conduct,” part of the charges against her read.
She was released on a cash bail of Sh500,000 or the alternative surety bond of Sh1.5 million.
The case will be mentioned on January 15, 2016.
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