Senior Principal Magistrate Martin Kinyua Mutegi of Kangema Law Courts has been charged with receiving a bribe in a case involving allegations of corruption.
In a statement on Monday, August 24, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said Mutegi, who had recently been suspended by his employer, was arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Magistrate’s Court.
He was charged with receiving a bribe contrary to Section 6(1) as read with Section 18(1) of the Anti-Bribery Act, among other charges, and denied the allegations.
"The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has today charged Senior Principal Magistrate Hon. Martin Kinyua Mutegi, attached to Kangema Law Courts, with receiving a bribe, following a favourable High Court ruling that paved the way for his arraignment and plea-taking," the statement read.
The court subsequently granted Mutegi bond terms after the prosecution confirmed that it would not oppose his release.
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He was required to provide a substantial bond or an alternative cash bail while being barred from interfering with witnesses.
"The court granted him a bond of Ksh800,000 with a surety of a similar amount, or an alternative cash bail of Ksh400,000. Prosecution did not oppose the bail terms. The court further directed the accused not to interfere with witnesses in any manner," the statement added.
The arraignment followed a High Court decision declining to issue conservatory orders sought by Mutegi in a petition that had been opposed by the DPP.
The decision enabled the prosecution to proceed with the bribery charges against the magistrate.
"The arraignment followed the High Court’s decision to decline to grant conservatory orders sought by Hon. Mutegi, in a petition opposed by the DPP. The ruling cleared the way for prosecution to proceed with the charges against him," the statement further read.
The matter will come up for mention on September 7 for further directions.
Meanwhile, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested an 18-year-old suspect linked to the murder of two elderly women.
In a statement on Sunday, August 23, DCI said the suspect, identified as Ezekiel Nyongesa Barasa, had attacked an 84-year-old woman in Trans Nzoia.
The elderly woman had been admitted to Cherangany Nursing Home after the attack but had succumbed to her injuries.
"The victim, Florence Khosa, 84, was admitted to Cherangany Nursing Home after sustaining serious injuries in the attack.
"Despite the medical team’s determined efforts to save her life, she succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment," the statement read.
The detectives then launched a manhunt for the suspect, who had reportedly gone into hiding, and after a series of investigations and police operations, the detectives had tracked down and arrested Barasa.
"He was subsequently subjected to an identification parade, where witnesses positively identified him," the statement added.
The detectives had also uncovered another lead linking the suspect to the alleged killing of an 86-year-old woman in Bungoma County.
"But as detectives dug deeper, another lead surfaced, linking the suspect to another alleged killing involving an 86-year-old woman in Tongaren, Bungoma County," the statement further read.
Further, DCI said preliminary investigations had indicated that the suspect may have sexually assaulted the victim before her death.
"Detectives are now leaving no stone unturned as forensic examinations and other critical lines of investigation are being pursued to reconstruct the events and establish the full circumstances surrounding the offences," the statement concluded.
