A forgery case against former Tetu MP James Ndung’u Gethenji has been deferred after his lawyer told the court that he has contracted Covid-19.
Gethenji, who was to plead to the forgery charges on Monday, failed to turn up in court and instead send his lawyer Ishmael Nyaribo.
Nyaribo told the court that his client was granted police cash bail pending today’s charges following his arrest on Friday last week
“Gethenji has been exposed to Covid-19. He is in isolation and is taking temporary measures. He is willing to abide by the DPP’s directions”, the court was told.
The lawyer urged the court to give directions on when the matter will be mentioned for plea taking.
The prosecution did not oppose the application and asked the court to allow Gethenji two weeks to stay in isolation and appear in court on December 1.
According to the charge sheet, Gethenji is accused of forging the minutes of Kihingo Village (Waridi Gardens) with intent to deceive.
He is alleged to have committed the offense on November 21, 2018, in Nairobi.
Nairobi Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku allowed the application and directed that the police cash bail given to Gethenji remain in force until December 1.
Gethenji and his family were the original developers of the Kihingo Estate but he fell out with his brothers Gitahi and Bob over control of the Sh20 billion property.
He claimed to control the estate through 60B shares held by a company he created in 2010.
However, on November 2, Justice David Majanja ruled that there were no B shares and endorsed a residents meeting in April 2019 that removed Ndungu as chairman of the management company.
Kihingo Village in Kitisuru consists of 55 houses that each has one share in the management company, a clubhouse, and social amenities.
