When the commission probing a petition to dissolve Makueni County Government resumes today, one thing they are keen to dispense with is the case of a witness who allegedly lied under oath. Before adjourning on Friday, commission chairman Mohamed Nyaoga ordered Wote police to immediately arrest Peter Mwanthi and present him to the commission this morning.
Since Wednesday last week when he testified, Mwanthi, a former councilor has been on the run. During his testimony, Mwanthi told the commission he was representing the interests of Makueni County Amani Association but this turned out to be untrue.
When asked to show proof of the association’s existence and whether it had sent him, Mwanthi claimed Elvis Ngundi, whom he fronted as the group’s secretary, had the documents but was in Busia town.
Mr Ngundi was, however, traced in Wote town by CID officers on the same day through his phone.
When he presented himself, Ngundi told the commission he was a farmer based in Kiboko and denied being a member of the lobby group let alone being its secretary. He dismissed Mwanthi as a conman who intended to incorporate him into a scheme meant to subvert the commission’s work.
He said he met Mwanthi at a pub in Wote town through a friend, Raphael Nzuki alias Junior, where Mwanthi requested him to pass himself off as the group’s secretary living in Busia.
He alleged this was meant to buy time time for Mwanthi giving him room to forge documents that he would present before the commission.
“I turned down the proposal because I knew it was an offense. I want to confirm to this commission that I am not the secretary of that association. I do not even know its full name,” Ngundi said.
Junior, who accompanied Ngundi to the commission admitted that Mwanthi had approached him to “shop for somebody they would coach as the group’s secretary”.
Mr Nyaoga directed Wote OCPD to take charge of the investigations and avail a report to the commission once their probe is complete.
SERIOUS OFFENCE
“This is a serious issue that needs thorough investigations,” Nyaoga said adding that the commission would try to establish whose interests Mwanthi is representing and what is his motive to lie.
Ngundi made commission members laugh when he pleaded with Nyaoga to give him his mobile phone number after he was told he was free as long as he cooperated with the police.
“Thank you chairman, I kindly request you to give me your number in-case the police decide to play games. I do not want to sleep in police cells,” he pleaded, to which Nyaoga replied: “You are not under arrest, just cooperate with the police. Nobody will harass you.”
Meanwhile, the assembly’s Minority Leader John Mwenze appeared before the commission saying the county government should not be dissolved since it will lead to loss of seats for most MCAs.
Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter
Proceedings now enter the fourth week with continued testimony from House Majority Leader Francis Mutuku.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
join