Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu on Tuesday, March 18, filed a fresh application seeking to be released on bond as he continues to serve a jail term after he was convicted of graft.
The fresh application came hot on the heels of an appeal against his jail sentence filed by the embattled former Governor, which is still pending.
On Thursday, February 13, Waititu was sentenced to 12 years in prison or pay a fine of Ksh53.5 million after he was found guilty of the illegal awarding of a tender during his time as Kiambu County boss.
During the judgment, Waititu was sentenced to serve five years in jail or pay a fine of Ksh2.5 million. Additionally, the court imposed a mandatory fine of Ksh51 million in default to serve another seven years in prison.
Milimani Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzioki also directed that Waititu’s wife Susan Wangare pay a fine of Ksh500,000 or serve a sentence of one year in prison. However, the magistrate directed that the terms will run concurrently.
Further, the magistrate found that the conduct of Waititu could not be forgiven since his acts undermined the tenets of good governance.
”This case is a typical example of a breach of public trust by the former Governor and the co-accused. The offending acts of the accused persons were deliberate, inexcusable, and undermined the tenants of good governance,” Nzioka stated.
Consequently, Waititu filed an appeal while requesting for bail. The courts refused to grant him bail after a successful application by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) opposing his bail request.
In his appeal, Waititu had argued his health was diminishing, complaining of chest pains and high blood pressure but all this proved futile with Waititu confined to remand at the Industrial Area prison.
The Chief Magistrate also faulted the accused over the forgery of academic documents including certificates, pointing out that it was not in good taste at a time when young people are faced with unemployment.
Waititu was jailed together with Luka Mwangi Wahinya (former Chief Officer, Roads, Transport, Public Works and Utilities) who was sentenced to serve 2 years in prison or pay a fine of Ksh1 million shillings and a mandatory fine of Ksh20 million in default to serve 5 years in prison.
Furthermore, the directors of Testimony Enterprises Limited, the company at the center of the tender scandal, Charles Chege Mbuthia and Beth Wangeci Mburu were jailed for 4 years or pay a fine of Ksh2 million shillings with a mandatory fine of Ksh294 million and 3 years in jail or pay a fine of Ksh1.4 million shillings respectively.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE