NAIROBI, Kenya June 25 – Sirisia Member of Parliament John Walukhe was sentenced to sixty-seven years in jail Thursday, or pay a fine of Sh707 million after conviction over a Sh297 million scandal.
It was the same sentence declared for his co-accused Grace Wakhungu. Their company Erad General Suppliers was convicted and sentenced.
The two and the company were found guilty of various offenses, each carrying sentences of between one to seven years, with varied fines all totaling to Sh707,725,562 for Wakhungu and Sh727,725,562 for Weluke as shown on the table below.
The two are however, allowed to appeal the sentence within 14 days.
The sentence was read out to them on Thursday night by Chief Magistrate Eizabeth Juma, before they were escorted to prison under armed security from the warders.
The sentence followed a conviction after the prosecution proved the two irregularly received Sh300 million from the National Cereals and Produce Board in 2004.
Both are listed as directors of Erad General Suppliers, the firm that received the payment.
Court documents indicated the payment was for the supply of white maize.
In demanding the payment, the two claimed that they incurred losses after a tender to supply 40,000 metric tones was canceled, and even presented forged invoices after an arbitration.
In seeking a stiffer penalty, the prosecution said “A case serves its purpose when the fruits of the judgment are realized. Every person should be accountable to their actions. Given the amounts involved, the sentence given should act as a deterrence [to corruption].
In her verdict, the Magistrate ruled that there was evidence to show the accused persons forged an invoice to demand payment for the money charged as storage fees for the maize.
The maize consignment was said to have been imported from Ethiopia.
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