Milimani Anti-Corruption Court chief magistrate on Tuesday directed that he will today give a ruling after both the prosecution and the defence
disagreed on compliance with earlier orders.
The court had last week directed Abala Wanga to present
himself before the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission for processing ahead
of Tuesday’s date in court.
However, Abala Wanga’s lawyers, led by Steve Ogola, told the
court that although their client had complied and presented himself before the Ethics
and Anti-Corruption Commission, he was not allowed to record a statement under
inquiry as earlier directed.
They said Abala Wanga was only allowed to give a
charge-and-caution statement.
Ogola urged the court to issue explicit directions
compelling the commission to allow Abala to record a statement under inquiry,
arguing that this was a right that was already granted.
As such, he asked the court to defer plea taking until the
statement and also extend the bond that was granted to his client.
The state, however, rejected that claim, saying Abala Wanga
had already recorded a statement and that only the charge-and-caution statement
remained before he was ready for plea-taking.
Abala Wanga is expected to face charges of fraudulent
acquisition of public property valued at Sh8.7 million, allegedly obtained
during his tenure with the Kisumu County government.
He is accused of having earned the money from a job position
that he got using an allegedly forged KCSE certificate.
He is also set to be charged with forgery and abuse of
office over claims that he altered a letter to attend a conference in Nigeria
and unlawfully received more than Sh280,000 in daily subsistence allowance.
