Court Deals Blow To Mathe wa Ngara

Nancy Indoveria Kigunzu, aka 'Mathe wa Ngara' had her hopes of securing a swift release dashed after a court allowed police to detain her for five more days.

The Magistrate Court at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Wednesday, August 23 allowed the prosecution's request to extend her detention to allow police more time to question the accused to enhance ongoing investigations.

“Having gone through the submissions by both parties, I find that the prosecution application to detain the respondent is merited.

"The suspect is to be detained at Muthaiga Police Station for five days to allow police to complete their investigation,” ruled Senior principal magistrate Njeri Thuku.

As a result, the hearing was pushed to Monday, August 28.

Kigunzu had earlier told the court that she suffers from anxiety and sought orders allowing her some time off the police station to access medical treatment.

Thuku thus ruled that she is allowed to access medication when required as it is her right. The Muthaiga OSC was directed to ensure that the businesswoman was escorted to the hospital.

However, she warned Kigunzu against using the hospital excuse to execute any crafty schemes.

“It should not happen that when I want you in court is when you claim to be in hospital.

"Let's not play those games. She has her right to access medication but only under the full escort of the police,” the Magistrate ruled.

In an affidavit filed before the court, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) stated that there is more than just marijuana impounded at Kigunzu’s place, adding that they need time to engage experts in testing and sampling edibles believed to be laced with illicit substances.

Alongside the drugs, cash bundles worth Ksh13.4 million were seized during the police raid in Ngara last week on Tuesday.

In addition to the accusations, Kigunzu was accused of evading the police, an accusation that her legal representative contested, merely hours before she was arrested in a sting operation in Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) on Monday night.

The arrest came hours after Kigunzu moved to court to block her arrest, claiming she is a law-abiding Kenyan with a legitimate source of income.