Linturi's Nanyuki Hotel Rape Case Haunts Him During Vetting

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary nominee Mithika Linturi was cornered by the National Assembly's Committee on Appointments regarding a case involving a woman who accused him of attempting to rape her at Maiyan Villas Hotel in Nanyuki, Laikipia County on January 30, 2021.

Speaking before the committee on Friday, October 21, the former Meru Senator revealed that the case was among 35 of the sort that he is currently battling in court, a matter which shocked Kenyans following the proceedings.

According to him, the rape case was the only criminal matter before the court whereby some individuals wanted to use it to extort money from him.

Meru Senator Mithika Linturi in a Nakuru Court on January 10, 2022, when he was arraigned over 'Madoadoa' remarks made during a rally in Eldoret. /CAPITAL GROUP

"Saying that I have a litany of cases is an understatement. As I sit here I have 35 cases in court, they are all civil.

"The only criminal case that I had in court is the case between the republic and I, where the complainant was Beryl. I was the complainant in this case because it was a case of abduction and is a case where people wanted to extort money from me," he said.

Linturi further alleged that he was falsely linked to sexual assault by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over his political standing. However, he noted that the decision to have the case against him withdrawn was done by the woman himself upon reflection of the circumstances related to the complainant.

"The application to withdraw this matter was done by the complainant herself. Akoth Beryl testified before a magistrate, and the magistrate accepted her request to withdraw the matter.

"I have fought so many cases. I want to free my mind given the opportunity to work for this country. I must forget the pain and persecution that I have gone through. I have left to the conscience of all my persecutors and God to deal with them," he added.

Kwanza MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi however warned Linturi that in case he is appointed the Agriculture CS, he risks an overload as the cases would keep resurfacing on top of carrying out his mandate on the agricultural sector, arguably the most critical in the country's economy and the backbone of the Kenya Kwanza government agenda.

"Linturi has confessed publicly that he has 35 cases and he is tired, we are looking for someone who is free. That means that you may not have the time and energy to do what we want you to do, because they will keep coming out," he cautioned.

Suna East MP Junet Mohamed lightly turned to National Assembly speaker, Moses Wetangula, stating that "Mr Speaker, I am requesting that so that we don't go into a serious health crisis, tell the nominee to breathe normally, he looks nervous."

Notably, this is not the first time Linturi has been drawn into controversy. He confessed to being arrested by an area Chief at his younger age for failing to go to school.

After his primary education, he then proceeded to high school. Due to his humble background, he showed up in school barefoot as his school shoes were inside his metal box, a matter which attracted ridicule.

Linturi's Net Worth

While revealing his net worth at Ksh1.2 billion, he told the National Assembly's committee that immovable assets constitute most of his wealth.

"My financial net worth is about Ksh1.2 billion. It includes investments and shares in various companies and SACCOs, properties, vehicles and directorship in different companies where I am a shareholder.

“The movable asserts that I own include properties that are developed, vehicles available for my personal use and the number of shares I own in the various Sacco institutions including the Parliamentary Sacco; directorship in different companies where I am one of the largest shareholders, and all this total to the tune of around Ksh.1.2 billion," he said.

He added that his current incomes are the money that he gets out of rental income, out of businesses that he does as well as being a dairy farmer keeping cows and goats as well as farming sukuma wiki.

Linturi went on to reveal that he expects to be worth over Ksh2.2 billion in a year after some of his debtors, including the government and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) pay him back for what he termed as wrongful prosecution.