Sonko denies abuse of office charge over alleged Sh10m inducement solicitation

By , K24 Digital
On Mon, 14 Sep, 2020 13:23 | < 1 min read
Nairobi governor
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko in court on Monday, September 14, 2020. PHOTO | SHEILA MUTUA
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko in court on Monday, September 14, 2020. PHOTO | SHEILA MUTUA

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko Mbuvi on Monday pleaded not guilty to a fresh charge of abuse of office after the court dismissed an application to stay plea taking.

Sonko's second co-accused, Anthony Otieno Abok and ROG Security Limited, had asked the court to stay plea taking, saying that they had filed an application at the High Court to contest the charge sheet.

Abok's lawyer, Danstan Omari, told Nairobi Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti that the High Court application was scheduled for hearing today.

The amended charge sheets said that on various dates between January 10, 2019, and January 19, 2020, within Nairobi City Cunty, Sonko improperly conferred a benefit to himself by demanding Sh10 million from Web Tribe Limited through ROG Security Limited.

The huge sum, the charge sheet, said was meant as inducement to facilitate payments to Web Tribe Ltd by the Nairobi County.

Ogoti dismissed the application, saying the High Court has not stayed plea taking and that he will respect its decision once the court pronounces itself on the matter.