Suspended Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu has lost in her bid seeking to be charged separately from other land officials in the Karen land scandal.
Senior Principal Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi ruled that her rights would not be violated if she was to be charged together with former National Social Security Fund (NSSF) managing trustee Jos Konzolo and five other top officials at the Ministry of Lands, the Nation reports.
In his ruling the magistrate maintained that there was sufficient interconnection of issues, hence a need to try Ngilu with her co-accused.
According to Capital, Mugambi also dismissed Ngilu’s assertion that she’ll suffer embarrassment if she is charged alongside the ministry officials saying her charge is not scandalous.
The magistrate also declined an application by Mr Konzolo to suspend the proceedings until the High Court decides on who owns the land, ruling that the two cases could run concurrently.
Ngilu denied charges of obstructing EACC detectives by directing Ministry officials not to make available documents or record statements with them.
Seven of her co-accused also denied the charge of illegally transferring Karen land and trying to conceal it, and were released on a cash bail of Sh1 million.
The case is scheduled for further directions on July 13.
Ngilu had last week appeared in court, where she denied to take a plea until the court rules that she be charged separately.
See also: Ngilu's Reaction On Being Charged Alongside Other Officials
