Charity Ngilu risks six-month jail term over contempt of court

By ISAIAH LUCHELI

Kenya: Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu risks a six-month jail term if she is found guilty of contempt of court after a company was given the green light to institute the proceeding.

Flash Audio Services which is embroiled in a multibillion shilling land dispute with an Asian family was given the go ahead by the court to sue the cabinet secretary over her remarks on the on-going court case.

Ngilu is alleged to have criticised the company and promised to dismantle fraud cartels in the Ministry of Lands in the presence of Nazir Manji and Zahir Manji who are embroiled in a suit with the company.

The company claimed that Ngilu,  at a press conference on March 21, this year, had criticised Flash Audio Services witnesses involved in the ongoing land dispute.

The company further alleges that the minister had gone ahead to speak of the innocence of Mr Nazir and Mr Zahir, which clearly touched on the proceedings before court.

MERITS OF CASE

“The cabinet secretary’s remarks touched on the merits of the case, the character of the company and the credibility of the witnesses as well as pre-judged issues to be tried in court,” submitted the company.

Flash Audio is seeking the court to grant committal orders of Nazir, Zahir and the cabinet secretary.

If convicted, the trio will be jailed for six months.

The application further added that on the said day, Ngilu at her office at Ardhi House had claimed that there were over 7,000 cases in court where ministry officials had colluded to aide fraudsters to acquire ownership of land.

“This is something we are not going to condone and we will root out these people who are not only out to taint the image of the ministry but also the government,” Ngilu reportedly told journalists during the press conference.