UPDATE: December 9, 2021: Businesswoman Mary Wambui and her daughter Purity Njoki have been released on bond after they surrendered themselves to the anti-corruption court on December 9, 2021.
The two were freed on a Ksh50 million bond and two sureties of Ksh25 million or Ksh25 million cash bail each.
They were also ordered to deposit their Kenyan and foreign travel documents with the court, refrain from contacting witnesses and cooperate with investigators.
The case will be mentioned on December 14, 2021.
Mary Wambui, the billionaire and Jubilee financier, who has been on the run has finally surrendered herself to the court.
Wambui, who is locked in a Ksh2.2 billion tax evasion case, presented herself at the anti-corruption court in Nairobi hours after evading police dragnet at Weston Hotel.
The business mogul has been on the run since the anti-corruption court issued a warrant of arrest over alleged contempt of court.
She surrendered herself together with her daughter Purity Njoki. The two were accompanied by their lawyer, Nelson Havi.
The two were charged with eight counts related to tax evasion, including failure to remit taxes in accordance with tax deduction laws.
Wambui denied the charges with the prosecution seeking to have the court deny her bond in suspicion that she would flee the country.
The prosecution told the court that detectives received intelligence that she was hiding at the Weston Hotel, associated with Deputy President William Ruto.
Upon searching the premises, the officers retrieved a bag containing Wambui's documents, including a temporary travel permit to Zambia.
According to court documents seen by Kenyans.co.ke, Wambui had switched off her phones to avoid being tracked by the police.
"From the records maintained at the reception of Weston Hotel, the second and third accused persons are not listed as guests on December 8, 2021, despite their personal belongings being found at the premises," reads parts of prosecution submission.
However, their lawyer, Nelson Havi, argued that the state had not given compelling reasons to deny them bail, explaining that she would not abandon her businesses in Kenya.
"She is a businesswoman, she has vast business in the country including contracts with the government, why would she run?" posed Havi.
"We pray for reasonable bail not exceeding Ksh5 million. The two accused persons being law-abiding citizens are willing to deposit their passports with the court. They will abide by all conditions set by the court," Havi pleaded with the court.
Wambui is currently held at the Milimani Law Courts premises with the ruling on her release on bond expected to be delivered later in the day.
A warrant of arrest against Wambui and her daughter was issued on Monday, December 6, 2021, after she failed to appear before court the previous week to take a plea.
She instead sent her accountant and lawyer Sylvanus Osoro on account that she was sick and admitted to hospital but failed to produce documents to confirm so. This compelled Chief Magistrate, Felix Mutinda Kombo, to issue the warrant.
