MCAs caught with schoolgirls risk life imprisonment
Two Members of County Assembly (MCAs) in Kisii who were found with schoolgirls early this month risk life imprisonment if found guilty after the prosecution sought to alter its accusations to include defilement charges.
Mr Joash Orora (Masimba Ward) and Mr Cosmas Saka (Nyakoe Ward) were initially charged with failing to protect minors from sexual exploitation.
On Wednesday, sources close to the case said the charge sheet had been amended to include defilement charges.
The ward reps appeared before Kisii Chief Magistrate Steven Onjoro for the mention of the case, which has attracted public attention.
FRESH CHARGES
But the MCAs’ lawyer, Mr Aboki Begi, objected to the alteration, saying he had not seen the fresh charges and that it was not procedural to file them without his knowledge.
“We cannot have new charges introduced before the court without examining them as counsel for the accused. This will amount to denying them the right to know what the State intends to charge them with so that they can prepare an adequate response,” said Mr Begi.
The magistrate said he will rule on whether the defence should access the prosecution’s statements and evidence during the hearing of the case set for October 25.
