Mwiraria given 10-day grace period following doctors report

The Anti-Corruption Court in Nairobi has given Former Finance Minister David Mwiraria a 10-day grace period following a doctor’s report that was presented to the court on Tuesday morning.

The court had earlier stated that it would issue an arrest warrant against Mwiraria for failing to appear in court on Monday to face charges of conspiracy to defraud the Government of Ksh7 billion in the Anglo Leasing scandal.

Mwiraria’s lawyer, Kioko Kilukumi, explained that the former Finance Minister could not make it to the court because of health reasons, but the prosecution asked for the arrest warrant stating that they did not believe that Mwiraria was being honest with the court.

Mwiraria was hospitalised over the weekend at Karen Hospital for what his lawyers termed as a ‘recurring medical condition’.

Following the doctor’s report that stated Mwiraria’s health prevented him from moving about, Principal Magistrate Felix Kombo ordered that the former Minister presents himself before the court on 10^th December 2015.

This is not the first time that Mwiraria has missed a court appointment over health concerns. In March, he was scheduled to appear before the court but he was excused after he complained of poor health.

Anglo Leasing Scandal

Mwiraria was the first Finance Minister under President Mwai Kibaki’s regime, and he resigned on February 1^st 2006 in the heat of the Anglo Leasing Scandal.

Although he has maintained his innocence in the matter, Mwiraria was accused alongside 13 others for the scandal that saw Kenya lose billions of shillings.

Former financial secretary in the Ministry of Finance Samuel Bundotich, Kisii Senator Chris Obure, former Transport PS Sammy Kyungu and former postmaster-general Francis Chahonyo have already been charged in court over the Anglo Leasing scandal.

Following the announcement of the cases against the 13 suspects, three envoys congratulated the country for the move saying that such moves would help tame corruption in the country.

Robert Godec (US), Christian Turner (UK) and Jacques Pitteloud (Switzerland) issued a joint press release asking for robust investigations into graft.

Tackling graft

This comes as the country is embroiled in numerous graft scandals which have cost taxpayers billions of shillings.

The most publicised case has been that of the loss of over Sh790 million in the National Youth Service (NYS) that saw outgoing Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru resign from her position in Saturday.

Although Waiguru asserted her innocence, she stated that the attacks on her family and person have brought her undue stress.

Flanked by her doctor, Waiguru said that she chose to resign from her position for health reasons.

Hot on the heels of her resignation, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced a 10-pronged attack plan on graft.