This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
On July 10th, 2020, Sirisia MP John Waluke filed an application in court seeking to be released on bond pending the hearing and determination of his appeal against his 67-year prison sentence.
Waluke's lawyer, Samson Nyaberi, argued that the appeal may be heard for long and that his client may suffer prejudice as a result.
Waluke was found guilty of defrauding the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) of over Sh300 million, alongside his co-accused Grace Wakhungu, who was imprisoned for 69 years.
The two were convicted of several offenses, each carrying sentences of between one to seven years, and were also ordered to pay huge fines of Sh727 million and Sh707 million respectively by Chief Magistrate Elizabeth Juma.
Waluke and Wakhungu are listed as directors of Erad General Suppliers, the company that received an irregular payment amounting to Sh313 million from NCPB in 2004.
The court was told that the accused persons received the funds after winning a tender to supply 40,000 tons of white maize to NCPB, which was later canceled due to Erad Supplies' failure to prove it had sufficient funds to supply the maize.
