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Kisii Deputy Governor Dr Robert Monda yesterday put up a spirited fight to exonerate himself from allegations of abuse of office, gross misconduct and gross violation of the constitution levelled against him by Kisii county MCAs.

The embattled Deputy Governor vehemently denied receiving a bribe of Sh800,000, stating that he received the Sh500,000 as a loan from his long-time friend Joseph Misati that he had advanced him in October 2022.

Instead, Monda told Senators that he erroneously sent Sh100,000 to Lucy Wahito instead of Gladys Aminga for payment of building materials.

“I erroneously sent money to Lucy Wahito instead of Gladys Aminga. The money was to be part of payment for building materials I am undertaking,” said Monda.

According to Monda, after sending Wahito the Sh100,000, he went to sleep unaware that he had sent the money to a wrong person until the following day when the latter called asking him why he had sent her the money.

He stated: “I would like to confirm that Lucy Wahito refunded the money that I had erroneously sent to her that I later sent to Gladys Aminga who was the intended recipient in an instalment of Sh40,000 and later Sh60,000 which was meant for a consignment of building materials.”

Monda told the senators that he wanted his money in cash and therefore requested Misati to do accordingly.

 “It was Mr Misati who made the request to refund me the money,” Monda claimed.

He said that he realised that he had sent the money erroneously after Wahito made a call to him asking him why he had sent her the money.

During cross-examination by County Assembly lawyer Ndegwa Njiru, Monda explained that he mistakenly sent the money to Wahito instead of Gladys.

Commercial manager

On the threat he allegedly issued to Misati’s son Dennis Mokaya, Monda said he had never met him before the day they paid a courtesy call to his home on May 28, 2023.

Misati, who appeared before the senate as one of Monda’s witnesses told senators that his friendship with the deputy governor spans more than 32 years and that in most cases, they borrow and refund each other money whenever one requires help.

Misati, whose son Dennis is the main complainant in the impeachment trial, denied offering money to the DG to influence Gusii Water and Sanitation Company (GWASCO) to hire his son as a Commercial Manager.

Yesterday, Misati 68, in his attempt to exonerate the DG was categorical that the Sh799,000 being alleged to have been sent to Monda was a long-standing loan he was refunding and accused unknown persons of setting up his son against his long-time friend.

“My son was lured, intoxicated with some of the people to use him to fail the DG,” charged Misati.

He went on: “I made a request to see the DG at his home. We had some social discussion. The DG told me that he had given me money. He asked whether I was in a position to refund the money.”

He maintained that he transferred Sh251,000 in three tranches of Sh70,000 each from his joint account with his wife.

During cross-examination with Monda’s lead Counsel Katwa Kigen, Misati told the senators that in the course of their discussions with the DG at his home where they had paid him a courtesy call in the company of his (Misati) four sons, Monda requested for some money.

Needed cash

“As we were discussing, he told me he needed some money in cash. My wife sent Sh250,000. It was late and there was no shop which had a float therefore I asked my wife to send the money to Dennis Mokaya,” said Misati.

According to Misati, the DG had loaned him some Sh500,000 in October 2022, adding that the money was his and his spouse.

“It was a refund, the money which he gave me in October 2022. The money was ours. Myself and my wife. Dennis was not part of the transaction. It is not true that he gave me any money. I initiated the visit to see the DG.”