MP Gideon Mulyungi’s brother denies stealing 3 CDF cheques
Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyungi in court for the hearing of an assault case against him. His brother Joseph Mwangangi Mulyungi was charged afresh in a Mwingi court on February 4, 2019 after prosecutors decided to amend the charges. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyungi’s younger brother Joseph Mwangangi denied three counts of stealing three CDF bursary cheques amounting to Sh18,000.
On Wednesday last week, Mr Mwangangi appeared in the same court and was convicted on his own guilty plea.
Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyungi’s younger brother was Monday charged afresh in a Mwingi court, after prosecutors decided to amend the charges.
Mr Joseph Mwangangi Mulyungi changed his earlier plea and denied three counts of stealing three Constituency Development Fund (CDF) bursary cheques amounting to Sh18,000.
The suspect, who appeared before Mwingi Senior Principal Magistrate Kibet Sambu, was granted a Sh20,000 bond, pending the hearing of the case.
On Wednesday last week, Mr Mwangangi appeared in the same court and was convicted on his own guilty plea. He was sent to the Waita GK prison, awaiting the presentation of the case facts before formal sentencing.
Mr Mwangangi, who was represented by lawyer Christopher Nzili, got a reprieve when prosecutors decided to amend the charges.
The initial charges stated that on diverse dates between January 11 and January 27 this year in Mwingi township in Kitui County, he allegedly stole one Equity Bank cheque number 014432, valued at Sh10,000, the property of the Mwingi Central CDF.
BURSARY CHEQUES
The suspect faced two additional counts with similar description but varied amounts of bursary cheques.
However, the amended charges state that "On diverse dates between January 11 and January 27, this year at Mwingi township in Kitui County, he allegedly stole one Equity Bank cheque number 014432, valued at Sh10,000, the property of the Mwingi Central Constituency Development Fund."
Three workers at the MP’s constituency office, Samson Kitungu Kimanzi, Samuel Nzuki Mawiyoo and Gideon Mulwa Mutambu, are listed as witnesses in the case.
The magistrate ordered the parties to appear before him on February 19 for a pretrial conference, where prosecutors will table the facts of the case and the court will fix hearing dates.
The MP says he pushed for his brother’s prosecution as a way of reassuring his constituents that there is zero tolerance of corruption in the management of CDF money.
He said not even his family members will be spared if any of them is involved in theft of public funds.
