Aisha Jumwa Switches Phones Off And Goes Into Hiding, Court Orders She Surrender To The Police

A Mombasa Magistrate Court has ordered Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa to surrender to Port Police Station before Monday, August 31.

The Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji had on Thursday ordered the arrest of Jumwa and six others in connection to a Sh57 million graft case emanging from mismanagement of the Malindi Constituency Development Fund.

On Friday, six co-accused persons in Jumwa’s case; Wachu Abdhalla, Kennedy Onyango, Bernard Kai, Sophia Charo, Margaret Kalume and Robbert Wanje were arraigned before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Edna Nyaloti.

They were charged with thirteen offences, including forgery, fraud in procurement and money laundering.

They denied all the charges and were released on Sh10 million bond with similar amount of surety or Sh5 million cash bail each.

However, Jumwa was missing during the court proceedings.

The office of the DPP, through Alloys Kemo, said the prosecution was unable to trace Jumwa after she switched off all her phone numbers and could not be traced in all her known residences.

Kemo asked the court to issue a warrant of arrest against Jumwa.

However, Jumwa’s lawyers Danstan Omari, Jared Magolo and Cliff Ombeta said their client received the DPP’s orders late in the night.

She could not prepare on time to appear before the court on Friday, they said.

The Magistrate then ordered Jumwa to present herself before Port Police for processing before she appears before the court for plea taking.

Meanwhile, Omari, who was the lead counsel for the accused persons who appeared in court, said they will appeal to the High Court for the bail terms of the six charged during the session to be reviewed.

The matter is expected to proceed on Monday, August 31.