Mbuvi spends weekend in custody

Makadara MP Gidion Mbuvi spent the weekend in police custody. He was released on a Sh1.5 million bond on Friday but could not raise it by 5pm.

The MP, popularly known as Sonko, was booked at the Kileleshwa Police Station on Friday night and is expected to process the bond today.

Kibera chief magistrate Cecilia Githua released Mr Mbuvi on bail following an application by five lawyers led by Cecil Miller, Paul Muite and Cliff Ombeta.

The court had twice refused to release him on bond. The magistrate also lifted a warrant of arrest issued against him seven years ago for jumping bail in a Sh18.1 million case.

Chief Inspector Joseph Musyoka did not object to the bail application. Mr Mbuvi is charged with fraudulently obtaining Sh500,000 from Ms Patience Chepchumba Kogo in Mombasa on November 24, last year.

In the second count, he is alleged to have conspired to defraud Tile Carpet Centre Ltd of Sh2.8 million on August 16, 2006. The cases will be heard on December 28, and February 1, respectively.

Mr Mbuvi, who only joined national politics few months ago, vied on a Narc Kenya ticket and beat former MPs Dick Wathika and Reuben Ndolo by nearly 3,000 votes.

However, as soon as he was sworn in, controversy surrounding his past arose, but he dismissed it as an attempt to tarnish his name.

The legislator has been accused of, among other things, escaping from lawful custody, fraud, and forging documents to acquire prime land in Mombasa.

The new Constitution bars people facing criminal charges from seeking or holding public office — until they are cleared of wrongdoing.