Former Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria has been freed from the Industrial Area Remand Prison after raising Ksh10 million cash bail.
Wa Iria has been in custody since Tuesday when he was detained after he was unable to raise the Ksh10 million cash bail or Ksh20 million granted by Milimani Anti-Corruption Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzyoki.
The former county boss was slapped with the harsh bail terms after he denied several corruption charges of colluding with his wife Jane Waigwe Kimani and eight others to defraud Murang’a County of over Ksh351 million.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission(EACC), through its Spokesperson Eric Ngumbi, confirmed on Friday, May 3, 2024, that wa Iria has finalized compliance with bond terms as issued by the court, paving the way for his release from remand.
“Following compliance with the Anti-Corruption Court’s bond terms today, graft suspect Mwangi wa Iria, former Murang’a County Governor has been released from Industrial Area Remand Prison, where he has been since Tuesday,” Ngumbi stated.
Charges against wa Iria
In the case, the former governor is charged alongside his wife Waigwe, brother-in-law Solomon Mutura, personal assistant Peter Muturi Karanja and others in relation to tenders for media and publicity awarded to a company linked to them known as Top Image Consultants at a cost of Ksh562 million during the financial years 2014/2015 and 2015/2016.
On April 14, 2024, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommended the prosecution of the suspects of irregularly awarding tenders and other procurement irregularities totalling Ksh351 million.
The DPP noted that investigations carried out by EACC revealed that the suspects fraudulently awarded tenders to Top Image Media Consultancy Limited and Value View Limited with disregard for conflict of interest.
The state prosecutor’s decision to okay criminal charges against the former governor and his wife comes months after the High Court froze Waigwe’s two properties valued at Ksh15 million purchased through proceeds of crime.
Justice Esther Maina issued the preservation orders for the assets belonging to the former county boss’s wife Jane Waigwe Kimani and her associates Jane Wanjiru Mbuthia, Director of Top Image Media Consultants pending the ongoing suit for recovery of the full amount that EACC is pursuing being Ksh542,610,615.
The two properties the court has barred Waigwe and her associates through her agents from interfering with include a parcel of land at Umoja Innercore valued at Ksh7.5 million and Mweiga Thungare/Block II/Therange Parcel Number 762 valued at Ksh8.8 million.
