CS offers Mercedes to save debt owing Jirongo from civil jail

Former Lugari Mp Cyrus Jirongo at a Milimani court . He was arrested for failure to pay a loan of 25 million advanced to him by bussinessman Brian Yongo. [Photo: George Njunge / Standard]

A Mercedes Benz was yesterday presented as security to save a former MP from spending six months in civil jail.

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa came to the rescue of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, who has been under the thumb of businessman Brian Yongo over a Sh20 million debt.

The former presidential aspirant was arrested on Tuesday and spent two nights in a cell at Muthangari Police Station in Nairobi after failing to make a Sh5 million payment to Mr Yongo.

On Wednesday, Mr Jirongo pleaded with the court to release him.

“I already have Sh900,000 I am willing to pay the amount today. I have not been a recalcitrant or dilatory debtor. I have adopted aggressive tactics in serving the decretal sum,” he told Milimani Law Court Deputy Registrar Elizabeth Tanui.

According to Jirongo, the remaining amount owed Yongo was Sh9 million. He said he had proof that he was making good on his word to pay the debt and asked for more time to settle the amount.

Cool his heels

But Yongo insisted that Jirongo must cool his heels in the cells for six months as he had disobeyed the orders of the court to service his debt.

After hearing the two parties, Ms Tanui gave Jirongo until 2pm yesterday to come up with Sh4.1 million, failing which he would be committed to civil jail.

The politician walked to freedom after Mr Wamalwa handed over the logbook of his Benz, whose price was assessed as enough to cover the amount demanded by the court.

Should Jirongo not make good his word, then Wamalwa’s vehicle could be put under the auctioneer’s hammer. The former MP’s woes began on August 7 after Tanui ordered the Muthangari OCS to arrest him for reportedly failing to pay what he owed Yongo.

The registrar further directed Jirongo to pay the expenses, including fare and fuel that would be incurred by the executing officers.

“These are to command you to arrest the said Jirongo and unless the sum of Sh20 million as noted in the margin, together with the executing officers expenses fees, if any, to bring the said debtor before the court with all convenient speed,” the arrest warrant reads.

Court matter

Yongo has accused Jirongo of failing to pay him the balance of a loan he advanced him.

He allegedly loaned Jirongo Sh25 million between 2014 and 2015 but the former politician has since paid only Sh5 million.

According to Yongo, the entire loan was to be settled in three instalments.

The businessman cited Jirongo’s failure to settle the debt as his reason for going to court in order to recover the money.

“Let him go and tell the court when he will pay back the money,” said Yongo on Tuesday, adding that the issue was a court matter and should be resolved there.

The businessman declined to explain the reason for the loan.