Grace Wakhungu Released Days After John Waluke Freed

Following an appeal she filed in October, the court of appeal granted her bail. The High Court returned the two to prison in October of this year after upholding a decision by the Magistrates court that found the duo guilty of fraudulently obtaining Sh313 million from a government agency.

It is alleged that they obtained the Sh313 million by pretending it was the cost of storing 40,000 metric tonnes of white maize incurred by Chelsea Freights.

However, the tender was canceled after Erad Supplies, a company owned by late businessman Jacob Juma, failed to demonstrate that it had sufficient funds to supply the maize.

Later, the company went to court and sued NCPB, claiming that by the time the tender was canceled, it already had the maize procured from Ethiopia and was being stored in Djibouti by Chelsea Freight, a South African firm.

Waluke's appeal was previously heard by a three-judge bench comprised of Judges Asike Makhandia, Sankale ole Kantai, and Grace Ngenye.

The MP asked the Appellate Court, through his lawyer Elisha Zebedee, to rule on whether the payment was made pursuant to court proceedings arising from an arbitral award payment made.

They were dissatisfied with their conviction and sentence and filed an appeal with the High Court. However, Judge Esther Maina stated that the sentences were not excessive and were in accordance with the law. She also claimed that the invoice used to support the payment claim was a forgery.

John Waluke released from prison. PHOTO FILE