Politician to spend a year in probation

The former legislator obtained Sh280,000 by false pretences.

A Kerugoya court has placed a former MCA Jenaro Namu Njaamumo on a one year probation for obtaining Sh280,000 by false pretences.

The former Mutithi Ward MCA was convicted and sentenced of the offence by senior resident magistrate, EO Wambo.

He had denied obtaining the cash from a Kerugoya trader, James Kinyua, pretending that he would have the trader awarded a Sh2.8 million tender to supply water pipes to the Kirinyaga County Assembly.

The said offence was committed on March 31 last year in Kerugoya where the trader runs a hardware business.

Promised tender

Mr Kinyua told the court the politician approached him with an urgent appeal for cash. He said Njaamumo had promised the tender award if he failed to refund the cash within the stipulated time.

“But after some time, when I went for my money, the MCA started insulting me,” he told the court.

In mitigation, through his lawyer Mutembei  Marete, the former MCA told the court that the criminal proceedings preferred against him were politically instigated after he differed with some  leaders.

Njaamumo pleaded with the court to grant him a non custodial sentence, saying he was a father of five children, two of whom were still under his care. 

Njaamumo ventured into politics in 2013 and was elected Mutithi Ward MCA. He however lost the seat in last year’s general election.