Aisha Jumwa Handed Another Relief Ahead Of Vetting By MPs

Public Service Cabinet Secretary (CS) nominee Aisha Jumwa has been handed another relief as she is set to face the National Assembly Committee on Appointments for vetting on Tuesday, October 18.

A case in which she is co-accused of murder took a fresh twist after the prosecution told the Mombasa High Court that the family of the deceased - Michael Ngumbao Jola - requested to settle the matter out of court.

Senior State Counsel Vivian Kambaga revealed to the court that the prosecution had received a sworn affidavit from the deceased's family over the matter.

"Your honour the prosecution has received a letter from the family requesting us to drop the charges since the family wants to settle the matter out of court," Kambaga told the court.

Senior State Counsel Vivian Kambaga at the Mombasa High Court during the Aisha Jumwa murder case on October 18, 2022. /TV47 DIGITAL

According to Kambaga, the decision by the family to withdraw the charges against Jumwa (the second accused person) is because she is not the principal offender in the matter.

"The victim's family was desirous of having the matter settled out of court considering that the second accused was not the principal offender in this matter. The ODPP has received these prayers and it's being considered at the moment, and we will be able to come back to you with an informed decision and next course of action," Kambaga added.

The former Malindi Member of Parliament (MP) thereafter wrote to the Director of the Public Prosecution - DPP, Noordin Haji and the court requesting to become a state witness. If the two parties grant her request, then she will testify against her bodyguard.

Jumwa and her aide, Geoffrey Okuto, were charged with the murder of Jola, 48, in the chaos that erupted during the Ganda Ward by-election on October 15, 2019, at his home.

Despite both of them asserting that they're innocent, they are accused of storming Jola's house accompanied by her supporters and causing chaos that led to the death. Several other people, including police officers, were injured during the chaos.

The developments came after DPP Haji on Wednesday, October 12 withdrew a Ksh19 million corruption case against her.

Jumwa who was battling graft charges of conspiring to commit fraud had her charges withdrawn under section 87 (a) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC). This allows a public prosecutor to withdraw prosecution of any person at any time before judgment is delivered.

Senior state counsel Alex Akula, who was representing the prosecution, revealed to Mombasa Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku that he was under instructions to apply for the charges against Jumwa to be dropped.

"I have instructions to move the court with an application on review of charges and that is specifically on the first accused person the final directive is to have her name removed and the case against eight suspects who had been charged alongside Jumwa to proceed," Akula said.

However, the case of eight others who were charged against Jumwa will continue.