Mombasa executive handed six months civil jail over Sh37m debt
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho with Finance executive Maryam Abdillahi Mbaruk after the swearing-in of county executives outside the county hall on November 16, 2017. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The High Court has committed Mombasa County's finance executive Maryam Abdillahi to six months in civil jail for disobeying a court order.
In November, Justice David Majanja order the executive to appear in court in person to show why she should not be sent to jail over a debt of Sh37 million owed to a car dealer.
OLD DEBT
In the case, Associated Automobiles Distributors Limited sued the defunct Municipal Council of Mombasa for failing to pay for five vehicles sold to them almost two decades ago.
The company said it sold and delivered the cars as per council's request and order in Nairobi during the years 1998 and 1999.
Through Murage Juma & Company Advocates, it said it also supplied Mombasa with spares parts and rendered services of the agreed value of Sh184,996 as per their request in 1998.
Failure to pay for the products and services resulted in the court case.
Justice John Mativo on Wednesday directed police to arrest Ms Abdillahi for failing to appear in court and commit her to civil jail.
In the order, he told police, "You are further ordered to return this warrant with an endorsement, certifying the date and the manner in which it has been executed or reasons as to why it has not been executed.”
