Bribery charge against Kasarani MP dropped
An MP who had been charged with bribery has been acquitted after the complainant in the case withdrew the allegations against him.
Kasarani MP John Njoroge Chege was set free in a case in which a contractor Abdulrahaman Mohamed Abdulahi had accused him of soliciting money amounting to Sh300, 000 to facilitate the payment of Sh3, 342,716.77 for a completed secondary school project.
The project at Baba Dogo Secondary School in the constituency was done with funds from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
The matter was reported to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) who laid a trap and arrested the MP before starting the proceedings in a Milimani Court, Nairobi.
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
Mr Abdulahi said his conscience was clear when he sought to withdraw the charges, saying he had pardoned the legislator.
“I want to pardon the accused because of my religious beliefs and my medical condition. I am scheduled for an operation in the South Africa on January 16, 2015. Human is to err, the accused erred but I require his prayers.
“No one approached me or coerced me to pardon the accused. I have not received any forms of payment, but the case has caused me a lot of losses,” he said.
The accused was charged that on June 25, 2013 at Continental House parking yard corruptly solicited money from the complainant to facilitate payment for the school’s tuition block that the contractor had completed.
Principal Magistrate Peter Ndiwga, while giving the judgment, said the law requires one to consider the complaints application and find out whether there are sufficient grounds to permit him to withdraw.
ENOUGH EVIDENCE
“Taking into account the court records, the complainant’s view and demeanor and the circumstances surrounding the case, I find the grounds relied on by the complainant in his application sufficient.
“The complainant is therefore allowed to withdraw the complaint. The accused is now acquitted in all the three counts,” the magistrate said.
Prosecution led by James Warui said they will would seek a review of the court’s decision at a higher court.
EACC spokesperson Yassin Amarro said they have enough evidence to sustain an appeal of the magistrate’s judgment.