Former Nairobi Town Clerk John Gakuo dies in Nairobi

John Gakuo reacts to questions during his vetting at the county offices in Nairobi on June 3, 2013. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Gakuo, 68, was jailed together with former Local Government Permanent Secretary Sammy Kirui for abuse of office in connection with the purchase of cemetery land valued at Sh283 million.

Former Nairobi Town Clerk John Gakuo has died in a Nairobi hospital.

Gakuo's lawyer Asa Nyakundi confirmed the death and said his body had been moved to the mortuary.

An application for the former town clerk to be released on bail was rejected by Justice John Onyiego but his appeal was coming up on Wednesday.

The main appeal came up for hearing last week but the judge was absent and he was given another hearing for Wednesday.

Gakuo, 68, had cited his age and ill health as the main reasons in the application to be released from jail.

MAVOKO CEMETERY

Gakuo was jailed together with former local government permanent secretary Sammy Kirui for abuse of office in connection with the purchase of cemetery land valued at Sh283 million.

The two were sentenced to three years in jail each and fined Sh1 million, for abuse of office and failure to comply with procurement rules.

They were jailed alongside former Nairobi City Council legal secretary Mary Ng’ethe and the chairman of the tender committee Alexander Musee.