By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, arrested Jane Waigwe Kimani, wife to former Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria and her brother Solomon Mutura Kimani.
The two were being sought by EACC over the Ksh140 million graft charge they are facing alongside several others including the former county boss.
In a statement on their social media pages, the anti-graft agency said the two were later presented before the court to answer to the various corruption-related charges.
“The wife of former Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria Jane Waigwe Kimani and her brother Solomon Mutura Kimani, both suspects in the Kes.140 million Murang’a County graft case, have been arrested,” EACC said in part of the statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“The two are currently before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court for plea-taking,” it added.
According to EACC, Jane and Mutura are the Directors of Value View Ltd, one of the companies alleged to have been used as a conduit in the suspected multi-million fraudulent scheme.
They were arraigned before Milimani Anti-Corruption Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzyoki.
However, they did not plead to the charges after they obtained orders from Muranga High Court Judge Cecilia Githua to suspend their prosecution.
The agency on Tuesday evening disclosed that the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has approved charges against the former Governor, his wife and several others in relation to the said scandal.
It had directed those named to present themselves at the agency’s headquarters, or any EACC offices near them for court processing.
However, none of the suspects honoured the summons, leading to the arrest of the two.
The hunt for others linked to the scandal is ongoing.
“EACC is pursuing the other 6 suspects, including the former Governor, who failed to honour summons to appear before it on Wednesday, 8 am,” the agency said.