This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
On June 25, 2020, Magistrate Elizabeth Juma handed down a guilty verdict in the Ksh297 million maize scandal, sentencing Sirisia MP John Waluke and co-accused Grace Sarapay Wakhungu to jail or hefty fines.
Waluke was ordered to pay a fine of Ksh 594,175,000 for each of the counts he is accused of, or face a jail sentence of seven years on the third count. Similarly, Wakhungu was ordered to pay the same amount, which is double the amount that NCPB lost in the case.
The court also ordered that the conviction for Waluke be served to the speaker of the National Assembly and the Public Service Commission (PSC). If the fine is paid, NCPD will be compensated for the amount lost.
This development is a further blow to Deputy President William Ruto, whose allies have been on the receiving end. Recently, former Sports CS Rashid Echesa hit out at DP William Ruto for being silent when his allies are in problems.
Waluke's sentence breakdown includes:
- Count three: Ksh 500,000 (or three years in prison) + 594,175,000 (or 7 years in prison)
- Count four: Ksh 500,000 (or three years in prison) plus a fine of Ksh26,729,342 (or 7 years in jail)
- Count five: Ksh 500,000 (or three years in prison) + $48064 which translates to Ksh 5,121,219 (or 7 years)
- And a further fine of Ksh 100,000,000 for having benefitted (or 7 years in prison)
Wakhungu's sentence breakdown includes:
- Count 1: fine of Ksh 100,000 (or 1 year in jail)
- Count 2: Ksh100,000 (or 1 year in jail)
- Count three: Ksh 500,000 (or three years in prison) + 594,175,000 which is double the amount NCPB lost (or 7 years in prison)
- Count four: Ksh 500,000 (or three years in prison) plus a fine of Ksh26,729,342 (or 7 years in jail)
- Count five: Ksh 500,000 (or three years in prison) + $48064 which translates to Ksh 5,121,219 (or 7 years)
- And a further fine of Ksh 80,000,000 for having benefitted (or 7 years in prison)
Waluke's company, Erad Supplies & General Contracts Limited, was also implicated in the scandal.
