Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa's troubles deepened on Thursday, November 8, when the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) unearthed fresh evidence against her.
According to a report by Citizen Digital, documents in the media house's possession reveal that detectives discovered a money trail linking Jumwa to an alleged plan to benefit from government tenders.
“From the foregoing, it is clear that there was collusion to embezzle public funds and there was a major conflict of interest on the part of Aisha Jumwa Karisa,” the document from the Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit read.
Some four companies associated with the Malindi MP reportedly received Ksh312 million from the County Government of Kilifi.
Ksh57 million of the aforementioned amount was ostensibly traced to her account.
"It is alleged that between March 2014 to August 2018, her children’s company Kaseru Construction Ltd received Ksh 64,735,504 from Kilifi County," Citizen Digital reported.
A bank account belonging to Jumwa's son, Karisa, was reportedly also under investigation. It is believed that he made suspicious transactions worth Ksh46 million.
The same account was also alleged to have transferred Ksh15 million to his mother and Ksh5 million to Likoni MP Mishi Juma.
Jumwa’s daughter is also believed to have received Ksh40 million from Karisa.
DCI detectives established a pattern where, when Kilifi County paid money to the companies under probe, a certain percentage was apparently sent to the Malindi legislator.
Jumwa was accused of abuse of office, money laundering, failing to adhere to procurement procedures, bid-rigging, conspiracy to commit an offence and fraudulent acquisition of public property.
A report by Nation stated that her bank accounts were first flagged in June 2019 by the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), a government institution that helps identify and trace proceeds of crime and incidents of money laundering, which was concerned with suspicious crediting of millions of shillings into her account.
She dismissed the accusations by explaining “I am from Ganze and I am very broke. I don’t know such news, that is pure propaganda. I don’t have money. I am looking for money.”
On October 15, police raided her home in Kakuyuni and arrested the legislator after a scuffle ensued between her and ODM supporters in Ganda Ward.
She had stormed an ODM meeting where the confrontation happened and a party agent was shot. Jumwa was taken into custody, arraigned in court the next day and released on a Ksh 500, 000 cash bail.
She is under investigation for two cases.
