Court Orders Immediate Release Of Jimmy Wanjigi. This Is Why

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 19- The court has ordered the immediate release of Orange Democratic Movement presidential candidate Jimmy Wanjgi following his arrest on Tuesday.

Wanjigi spent the night at Kamukunji police station.

Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi also lifted a warrant of arrest against the businessman and his wife Irene.

The court decision was pegged on the Director of Public Prosecution confirmation that the city businessman had before his arrest acquired a court order restraining the police.

“We are satisfied that the orders of stay produced before this court (for Jimmi Wanjigi) are genuine. We will abide by the orders of the High Court,” the DPP said.

Wanjigi, his wife, and 6 others were wanted over alleged land-related fraud and a warrant of arrest issued by the High Court.

Police said they were facing a total of six counts, including conspiracy to commit a felony, forgery of deed plans, forgery of a grant, procuring the execution of a company by false pretense, uttering a false document with intent to defraud, and obtaining money by false pretense.

“On June 21st, 2018 at Nairobi City centre within Nairobi City centre jointly with intent to defraud obtained Ksh 56M from Kenroid Limited by falsely pretending that you in a position to sell IR.NO.658000 LR.1870/11/200 deed plan No.175145 measuring 0.3314 Ha registered to Auream Limited,” reads the charge sheet.

The other suspects are Himanshu Velji Dodhia alias Himanshu Velji Premchard Dodhia, Kameez Noorani, Mohammed Hussein Noorani, Mohamed Hussanali, Kairu Augustine Thuo, and John Nyanjua Njenga.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) presidential aspirant during an interview with Citizen TV linked the Monday night raid at his office by police to politics.

Wanjigi said that his woes started, once again, after he declared his interest to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta whose second and final term is ending on August 9, 2022.

Wanjigi is seeking to run on an ODM ticket, but he has to battle it out with the party leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

“Why are they uncomfortable with my candidature? he rhetorically asked.

“I tend to think it has everything to do with what I said over the weekend. They very clearly tried this in 2017 and they failed and everything they tried in court was overturned.”