On Tuesday, November 20, 2018, Kibwezi West MP Patrick Musimba asked the High Court to cut his Sh5 million cash bail in the Chase Bank theft case and refund him Sh3 million.
Musimba, who is charged alongside his wife Angela Mwende, told Lady Justice Ngenye Macharia that the amount was too high compared with the bail terms given to other suspects in the same matter. He said some of the accused had been released on Sh2 million cash bail and a Sh10 million bond with one surety.
The legislator, his wife, and their companies Porting Access Ltd and Itecs Ltd are accused of stealing Sh1,150,125,587 from the collapsed lender between January 23, 2015, and March 31, 2016. They denied six counts of stealing, money laundering and conspiracy to defraud.
They were also charged with former senior Chase Bank managers Duncan Kabui, James Mwaura Mwenja and Makarios Omondi Agumbi, who denied the allegations as well.
Musimba paid the cash bail on September 20 after spending three days at Kileleshwa Police Station with his wife. He also paid Sh2 million cash bail for Mwende.
His lawyer, Steve Kimathi, asked the court to remove the requirement that Musimba and Mwende surrender their passports until the case is concluded. Kimathi said the condition should be lifted, while state prosecutor Carol Sigei opposed the request, arguing that the case involves the loss of large sums of depositors’ money and that the couple’s movements should remain under watch.
Mwende is described in the record as a director of Eco-Bank.
