Former Murang’a governor, Mwangi wa Iria, has entered a plea of not guilty in a corruption case involving Kshs 351 million.
The accusation dates back to a period between October 21, 2014, and June 19, 2017, during which Governor wa Iria, along with nine others, purportedly engaged in unlawful contracts for media services, resulting in an approximate sum of Ksh.351 million being awarded to Top Image Media Consultant Limited.
In response to the charges, the ex-governor, through his legal representatives, sought bail, expressing his commitment to abide by all court directives.
During the court proceedings, it was argued that there may be underlying political motivations behind the prosecutions, potentially conflicting with principles of fair governance. However, the prosecution raised no objections to the defendants’ release on bail.
The prosecution further requested the court to grant bail to the accused individuals in accordance with established bail and bond policies.
In parallel to these developments, wa Iria was present at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) police station in Nairobi, where he provided a statement and underwent fingerprinting as part of the ongoing investigation into corruption allegations.
Additionally, recent summons have been issued for five more individuals implicated in the embezzlement of Ksh 542 million from the Murang’a County Government. Patrick Kagumo Mukuria, Jane Wanjiru Mbuthia, David Maina Kiama, David Maina Njeri, and Peter Muturi Karanja, along with two companies, Top Image Media Consultants and Value View Limited, are required to appear in court on April 29, 2024, for plea hearing and other procedural directions.
