Imwatok risking jail term over illegal firearm case

The controversial Makongeni MCA Peter Imwatok is facing a possible sentence to prison on August 24 2021 [today] after he was found possession of a firearm without a licence. Milimani Law Court senior resident magistrate Carolyne Njagi found that Imwatok had a case to answer after she received testimonies from six witnesses presented by state prosecutor Winnie Moraa.

“Upon receiving all the defence submissions, I will make my pronouncement on August 24, 2021 in open court,” Ms Njagi.

Imwatok is facing four charges including the illegal possession ammunition and a fake firearm’s licence. The MCA elected on ODM party ticket committed the offence on September 10 2017 in Galitos Restaurant, Industrial Area, Nairobi, where he was found in possession of a Ceska pistol.

The prosecution also told the court that the tainted MCA also had 13 rounds of live ammunition of 9mm caliber without a licence and a forged firearm certificate No7036 but Imwatok denied all the four counts and secured his freedom on a Sh200,000 bond with one surety of the same amount. The court also gave him an alternative cash bail of Sh50,000.

The former Nairobi County Assembly minority whip now risks serving at least five years in prison after Ms Moraa urged the court to place him on defence arguing that she had ample evidence to prove the case against the vocal city MCA.

Imwatok has also been embroiled in power wars within ODM party at the Nairobi County Assembly where fixed a section of the party leadership at the assembly under siege after he pocketed the likes of ODM SG Edwin Sifuna to protect him from his party members who were out to kick him from his minority whip position.

The second term MCA was accused of using the party’s to pocket bribes and goodies from corrupt individuals by his colleagues from the ODM party after he used his position to influence the finance department at City Hall to pay lawyer Tom Ojienda shs 50 million in legal fees for kick backs.