Court quashes two year jail term slapped on ex-Senator Joy Gwendo

The High Court has set aside a two year jail term slapped on former nominated Senator Joy Ngwendo over 1.7 million shillings fraud.

Justice John Onyiego instead ordered that the former Senator be charged afresh saying the Magistrate court erred in sentencing Gwendo to jail without the option of fine.

The news come barely three months after Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti sentenced the former nominated Senator to two years in prison over fraud charges, abuse of office and stealing 1.7 million shillings.

Justice Onyiego instead said the high court will sentence Gwendo afresh on the 4th of next month.

Gwendo had already been released on a 400,000 shillings cash bail pending the hearing of her appeal.

Meanwhile, seven suspects accused of conspiracy to defraud 10 million shillings from Sameer Africa Chairman Naushad Merali by pretending to be President Uhuru Kenyatta have denies charges of forgery, conspiracy to commit fraud and obtaining money by false pretences.

Joseph Waswa, Dancun Muchai, Isaack  Wanye Keche Wanyonyi, William Simuyu, David Lukaya Gilbert Kivunja and Antony Simuyu were released on a 200,000 shillings bond or an alternative cash bail of 100,000 shillings by Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi.

The case will be heard on 12th March 2019.

Elsewhere, four suspects arrested in connection with the murder of human rights crusader Caroline Mwatha will wait until Monday next week to answer to charges of murder.

This is after Justice Stella Mutuku ordered them to be remanded since three of the suspects did not have counsel representation.

The court further ordered the suspects to undergo mental assessments to prove that they are fit to stand trial.