Defence PS Saitoti Torome sentenced to six months in jail

The High Court has sentenced Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence Saitoti Torome to six months in civil jail without an alternative to fine after he was found guilty of contempt of court.

Justice Joseph Sergon gave the sentence after the PS allegedly failed to obey court orders directing him to pay Sh17.2M to a family who gave out their estate to government in 2006.

“The respondents have failed to appear in court and mitigate as to why he has failed to honour court orders having cited for civil jail for contempt earlier,” the judge said.

Justice Sergon last week told the court that he was to pronounce the sentence not withstanding that the respondents would not be present in court since they did not even send a representative.

In the suit, Eunice Makori and Hellen Makone moved to court in 2009 to sue Saitoti through Inspector General Joseph Boinnet after they failed to compensate them for the surrender of the late Johnson Onduko Makori parcel of land situated in Mombasa town to the government.

Makori and Makone said being the administrator and personal representatives of the Estate of Makori, the government failed to pay them Ksh.9.2 million plus other interests in 2006 when the land was given to the government.

The applicants, mother and daughter, claim that on June 2015, a judgement was delivered and they were awarded money for compensation.

They said the judgement and orders given by the Judge were served to Torome, Boinnet and the then Attorney General Amos Wako and they acknowledged receipt.

Makori claimed she personally visited the Ministry of Defence and made numerous requests to the PS but the request fell on deaf ears.

The suit papers read that leave was granted, matter heard and a judgement delivered on June 30 this year compelling the PS to pay Makori’s estate a total of Sh17,257,930 inclusive of costs and interests.

Makori and her daughter asked court to issue a warrant of arrest to the PS and be committed to a civil jail as he failed to heed. Warrants of arrest were subsequently issued directing the Inspector General to effect the warrants but he refused to honour.

Makori states that being a senior citizen, she requires medical attention and the continual refusal to pay for her late husband’s estate has subjected her and entire family into suffering and poverty.

The PS however filed an affidavit in June saying that he is the accounting officer in the Ministry of Defence and he personally does not owe the applicant any money.