MAKADARA MP Gidion `Sonko’ Mbuvi who was yesterday charged with various counts of fraud is being pressured to resign, Narc Kenya party leader Martha Kama told Parliament yesterday. Sonko was remanded in custody until Friday when his application for bail will be determined. Scores of his supporters staged a demonstration in Buru Buru and the city center to protest his arrest but were dispersed by riot police.
Sonko was escorted to Kibera court under tight security where he denied defrauding Shiraq Shangrajka of Tile and Carpet Centre along Mombasa Road in Nairobi of Sh2.8 million by pretending he could sell him a plot in Kwale. Sonko jumped bail after being released on a police bond of ShS0,000 in 2006. His co-accused in the August 11, 2006 fraud, Daniel Nclung’u, has been attending the court for the hearing of the case.
Sonko also denied conning businesswoman Patience Chepchumba out of 5h500,000 by pretending he would import a car for her. The offense was allegedly committed on November 24 2009 in Mombasa. The police objected to Sonko’s application for bail saying he had previously jumped bail and was likely to interfere with witnesses in other investigations. The police said he needed to be held in remand custody as the CID were still investigating a series of complaints against the MP. These include one in which German businessman Roehr Hans has accused the MP of defrauding him out of sh13 million. This case is before the Nairobi Chief Magistrate’s court.
The CID were also investigating at least five out-standing warrants of arrest pending since 2005 including one issued by the Kibera court when he first appeared there. The police said Sonko had many aliases including Mike Munga Musa, Hamisi Muoki, Norwan Muoki and was being investigated for a string of fraud cases. “‘The director of CID is investigating other allegations against the MP including a case where he escaped from custody while admitted at Coast General Hospital on April 6 1998 while serving a sentence for impersonation,” prosecutor Joseph Musyoka said.
Sonko’s lawyer Cecil Miller faulted the police for not arresting him since 2005 if they were serious about their claims that there were five outstanding warrants of arrest. The MP’s father Gidion Kioko Kivanguli, Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu and a host of powerful city businessmen were in court to show their solidarity with Sonko. Sonko’s court appearance was delayed for an hour when hundreds of his supporters thronged the premises waving placards and demanding his release.
In Parliament, Karua did not identify the people who had asked Sonko to resign. “The MP for Makadara is being held for what might be more than legal. reasons. In fact I have information that the pressure is being put on him to resign,” Karua said adding Sonko’s wife was the source of the information. Garsen MP Damon Mun-gatana accused unnamed Sonko opponents who were out to ensure another by-election is held. Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny said Sonko was being intimidated by police and called for justice to be done. Mbuvi was elected MP for Makadara on September 20 when he defeated former assistant minister Dick Wathika of PNU and Reuben Ndolo of ODM.
