A warrant of arrest has been issued against Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa for failing to appear in court to testify in a graft case in which he is the complainant and witness.
A Kakamega court issued a warrant against the Jubilee party lawmaker on Thursday after he failed to show up in court. Kakamega chief magistrate Bildad Ochieng ordered Bungoma OCS to arrest the MP.
Barasa is a key witness in a case in which he accused Brian Kisabuli Mulongo of trying to extort Sh120,000 from him, so he could withdraw a petition written to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
A group of people, led by Mulongo, had accused the MP of embezzling CDF funds.
They had petitioned the EACC and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to have the Kimilili Constituency National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) accounts frozen.
The MP has already denied graft allegations.
Those who were expected to testify were Edward Molalei and EACC officer Harrison Ombati.
The case could not proceed as the only witness present was Ombati from the anti-graft agency.
The prosecution noted that such matters needed to be expedited and despite summonses being issued several times, Barasa has failed to attend court sessions.
The matter will be heard on June 3, 2021.
