A Nairobi court yesterday ordered a criminal case in which a senior officer at the Langata Women’s Prison and four others are charged with obtaining over Sh200 million from members of the public under the guise of securing employment for them to proceed on May 24 without further delay.

The case was scheduled for hearing before Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina (pictured) but it could not proceed since witnesses were not bonded by the investigating officer.

Strongly opposed

Senior State Prosecutor Anderson Gikunda requested the court to be given more time to enable investigating officers to bond witnesses in the case. He informed the court that the investigating officer could not bond the witnesses because she is hospitalised.

In response, the defence lawyers led by Lewis Kanyoko strongly opposed the prosecution’s request for adjournment, saying there are no compelling reasons to warrant adjournment. They ask the court to give prosecution the last chance.

However, the magistrate allowed the prosecution request and ordered the case to proceed on May 24 and May 26, respectively, without further delay.

Grace Nyamohanga alias Nasra, a senior prison warder is accused of obtaining Sh300,000 from Patrick Boke by pretending she could secure a job for him at Nairobi Metropolitan Services.

She allegedly committed the offence alongside Masiaga Sylvester at Industrial Area prison staff quarters in Nairobi. Nyamohanga and Masiaga were charged with a second count of obtaining Sh300,000 from Winfrida Maroa by pretending they could secure a job for her at the National Lands Commission (NLC).

Their co-accused person, Jackson Mureithi, a prison officer, was charged with obtaining Sh350,000 from Samuel Njoroge by pretending he could secure a job for his two daughters at the Kenya National Highways Authority on November 10, 2021. Mureithi is also charged with obtaining over Sh1 million from Kenyans at Industrial Area prison.