MOMBASA, Kenya, Aug 31 – A Mombasa court on Monday granted Malindi lawmaker Aisha Jumwa a Sh5 million surety bond with an alternative to pay Sh2 million cash bail after the vocal legislator denied embezzlement of public resources.
Jumwa was arraigned in court to plead to graft charges in relation to a Sh57 million graft case at the Malindi National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
The court also reviewed the bond terms for the other six co-accused persons arraigned before the court on Friday.
The six who had denied thirteen charges and were freed on Sh10 million bond with an alternative of Sh5 million cash bail each, had their terms reviewed to Sh2 million bond or Sh500,000 cash bail.
Jumwa’s appearance in court on Monday followed her grilling by police on Sunday after she presented herself to Port Police in Mombasa in line with a directive issued by the court on Friday when she failed to appear in person.
Jumwa’s lawyer Jared Magolo said that the police did not issue any summonses to the MP, despite the court order on Friday.
“The accused person voluntarily presented herself to Port Police on Sunday at noon. She was grilled for some hours, and by 4:00pm, we had finished,” said Magolo.
The lawmaker was at the police station for about an hour on Sunday afternoon, accompanied by Nyali MP Mohammed Ali and former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar.
Reports emerged that she had been arrested, but later on, the MP came out dismissing the claims.
Jumwa said she was only questioned over the allegations.
“I will tomorrow (Monday) appear before the court for the charges. However, I want to refute claims that I had been arrested, I have not been arrested as you can all see,” she told reporters along Moi Avenue in Mombasa.
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On Friday, the DPP’s counsel Alloys Kemo said Jumwa had been in hiding.
He said the MP’s phone numbers were switched off and she could not be traced in all her known residences.
However, Jumwa’s lawyer said they received the DPP’s order late in the night, therefore the MP could not make it to court on time.
The corruption case is set for pre-trial on September 21.
