Waititu’s wife charged as war on illegal buildings intensifies

Kiambu Governor Ferdinard Waititu and his wife wife Susan Wangare.

Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu’s wife was on Wednesday charged at a Nairobi court with constructing a building in the Central Business District (CBD) without proper approvals.

Susan Wangare Ndungu appeared before Principal Magistrate Mary Njagi at the Nairobi County Magistrate’s Court 1 where she denied the charge and was granted a Sh80, 000 cash bail.

She was arrested Wednesday morning by County Council officials alongside 13 others.

One of her co-accused Robert Rukwaro was given a Sh100, 000 cash bail on an illegal construction charge while the rest of the 12, who were casual laborers, were also given a Sh80, 000 cash bail after being also charged with illegal construction along Koinange Street.

All the cases will be mentioned on September 6, 2018 where also a hearing date will be fixed.

Her lawyer made two applications one requesting the magistrate for the prosecution to supply all materials to be used as evidence including witness statements and a lenient cash bail.

Their charges had contravened the section 30 of the Physical Planning Act which attracts a maximum cash bail of Sh100, 000.

According to the charge sheet Susan was charged with “occupation of a building structure without permission” along Moi Avenue in the Central Business District.

Mrs Waititu and her co-accused were netted in dramatic fashion yesterday morning with a leaked conversation of the Kiambu Governor pleading with Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko to secure the release of his wife.

In a rare turn of events the Governor’s wife spent almost an entire day in City Hall cells with petty offenders.

Sonko promised to secure her release but reprimanded him that his wife was on the wrong as she did not have the necessary approvals from City Hall.

Social media also blew up with false claims that she had been released on a Sh50, 000 cash bail after Sonko’s intervention.