Governor Muthomi Njuki released on Sh6m cash bail, barred from accessing county offices

Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki has been released on Sh6 million cash bail.

Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti on Wednesday further barred him and other officials from accessing the county offices until the case is heard and determined.

In his ruling, Ogoti said he had considered the seriousness of the offence and the submissions by the defence on bail.

He also noted that of late corruption has evolved from hundreds of shillings to millions yet there are no proper guidelines on cash bail relating to that.

The governor had been charged with conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption of over Sh34 million alongside 20 others.

Muthomi and all the other 19 accused persons were also ordered to deposit their passports in court.

They allegedly conspired to commit corruption between January 1 and October 31, 2018, at TharakaNithi county offices in relation to tender for the supply and installation of an incinerator.

Muthomi, David Mwangi and Margaret Mugweru were jointly charged with fraudulent practices in procurement.

The court heard that on January 2018 and September 24, 2018 at the county offices, the trio, being directors of Generation Electronic and Allied Ltd, fraudulently procured and supplied an incinerator to the county government in respect of the tender.

The court heard that they supplied, installed and commissioned the incinerator while misrepresenting the facts that it was procured and supplied by Westomaxx Investments Ltd.

Muthomi was further charged with a third count of conflict of interest in relation to the tender.

Fridah Muthoni Murungi, the county Environment and natural resources executive, was separately charged with failure to submit the project report to the National Environment Management Authority and failing to comply with the law, applicable procedures and guidelines relating to procurement.

The prosecution did not oppose their release on bail but asked the court to issue stringent terms, arguing that the offences they face are serious and if found guilty they risk jail and the fine is twice the amount stolen.