Aisha Jumwa Murder Case: Victim's Family Seeks to Withdraw Charges

Aisha Jumwa
Aisha Jumwa addresses a rally in Bamburi, Mombasa, on Monday, December 20, 2021
DPPS

Public Service Cabinet Secretary (CS) nominee Aisha Jumwa was handed relief in a case where she is co-accused of murder.

On Tuesday, October 18,  ahead of Jumwa's vetting by Parliament, the family requested to settle the matter out of court arguing that the lawmaker was not a principal offender in the case.

Following the new development, the former  Malindi member of parliament wrote to the Director of the Public Prosecution - DPP, Noordin Haji, and the court asking to become a state witness.

Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa (right) and her bodyguard Geoffrey Otieno Okuto appearing in court.
Public Service CS, Aisha Jumwa, (right) and her bodyguard Geoffrey Otieno Okuto in court.
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If DPP Haji and the court approves her request, then she will testify against her bodyguard.

The prosecution may choose to grant the request and drop the charges against the former Malindi MP or direct that the matter heads full hearing on grounds of national interest.

Jumwa is scheduled to appear before the National Assembly Vetting Committee on Tuesday afternoon.

The new development came a week after the ODPP withdrew graft charges it leveled against the CS nominee, who was accused of irregularly obtaining Ksh19 million.

Prosecutor Alex Akula told Chief Magistrate  Martha Mutuku of the Anti-Corruption Court that the ODPP had not gathered enough evidence to secure Jumwa's conviction.

Jumwa had been charged with the acquisition of proceeds of crime, conflict of interest and money laundering. 

However, the cases of eight other co-accused will proceed to full hearing and judgment by the court. The eight will have questions to answer on how they defrauded Malindi constituency the said amount in 2018.

Mutuku ordered the DPP to retable findings of the investigations on the eight before the court upon which it would issue further directions.

Following the nomination of CSs, a section of Azimio lawmakers expressed discontent over the candidates, arguing that some of them had pending court cases.

Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and Deputy President William Ruto
Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and Deputy President William Ruto
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