Mathira Member of Parliament Rigathi Gachagua has been released on a cash bail of Sh 12 million after pleading not guilty to corruption charges.
The MP who appeared before Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi is alleged to have received Sh 7.5 billion which brought about six counts of offences including money laundering, conspiracy to commit corruption, conflict of interest, fraudulent acquisition of public property, acquisition of proceeds of crime.
Gachagua is charged alongside William Wahome Mwangi, Anne Nduta Ruo, Julianne Jahenda Makaa, Samuel Murimi Ireri, Grace Wambui Kariuki, Lawrence Kimaru, Irene Wambui Ndigiriri, David Reuben Nyangi and M/s Rapid Medical Supplies who did not appear in court.
Gachagua, Nyangi and Rapid Medical Suppliers Ltd are accused of fraudulently acquiring Sh 6,000,000 being part of the payment paid purportedly for supply of Dialysis machines to Nyeri Provincial General Hospital. They are alleged to have committed the offence on 29th December 2014 in Nairobi jointly with others not before court.
Rigathi is also accused that between January 2015 and June 2019 in Nairobi, jointly with others before court with intent to unlawfully dispose monies received from Bungoma County Government, he indirectly received Sh104, 821,205 and engaged in transactions to conceal movements of the said money having reasons to believe the said monies were proceeds of crime.
The court also heard that between the year 2013 and 2020 in Nairobi, the MP, being the account holder and signatory of the said accounts, he fraudulently acquired Sh 7, 330,011, 265.80 to three bank accounts domiciled at Rafiki Micro-finance knowing the said fraudulently acquired property formed part of proceeds of crime.
