High Court fines former Nominated Senator Joy Gwendo Sh 660,000 or serve 1 year in jail

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High has fined Former Nominated Senator Joy Gwendo Sh 660,000 after pleading guilty to abuse of office charges and issuing bad cheques.

Justice John Onyiego ruled that in default, she will serve one year in jail.

The petitioner was fined Sh 600,000 or serve one year on the offense of abuse of office and Sh 30,000 each on the two offenses of issuing bad cheques or serve three months each.

However, the judge directed that sentences will run concurrently.

 

Gwendo had appealed the trial court decision to imprison her for two years without the option of a fine in December last year.

However, Justice John Onyiego quashed the decision saying that trial magistrate Douglas Ogoti erred in imposing the jail term without the option of a fine.

The judge said that the trial court did not provide reasons for failing to give Gwendo bail.

The former legislator had pleaded guilty to the charges in a plea bargain and agreed to pay the money in court installments.

 

She, however, failed to honour the agreement making Chief Magistrate Ogoti to describe her as a dishonest person.

Gwendo was accused of using her position as a state officer to confer herself Sh 2,226,880 the property of Kisumu East Cotton Growers Cooperative Society on 23rd October 2016.