Ruto allies hold prayers for MP John Waluke convicted of corruption ahead of his appeal

Several Ruto allies on Sunday held prayers at MP John Waluke’s home ahead of the legislator’s appeal on Monday.

Photos shared across social media platforms showed politicians among them former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale knelt in supplication.

Khalwale on Sunday announced on social media that he was headed to Sirisia to attend the prayer service of the incarcerated legislator.

On my way to attend a church service in Sirisia early this morning (for our, incarcerated brother Hon Waluke) I met this young hustler woman. Touched, I stopped to empower her.
May God bless and reward the hands of our hustler women in Kenya pic.twitter.com/7l9aERmGM8

— Dr Boni Khalwale, CBS (@KBonimtetezi) July 19, 2020

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Earlier in July, the MP appealed against his sentencing where he was jailed for 67 years or an alternative fine of more than one billion shillings.

Through his lawyers, Waluke filed a 30-point document detailing what the lawyers term as inconsistencies and lack of independence in arriving at the guilty verdict.

This as the MP notified National Assembly Speaker ofm his intention to appeal his conviction, which could buy him time to remain the Sirisia MP.

Reports indicate that Waluke is still at the Industrial area prison, while Grace Wakhungu is spending her time at the Langata women’s prison.

Ondieki and Ondieki Advocates now filing a memorandum of appeal with the High Court, indicating several grounds of contest.

Waluke plans to contest the conviction saying it was based on a defective charge sheet.

He claims that critical witnesses were never called to testify in the case that was heard within two years.

Further, he claims that the anti-corruption court failed the test of impartiality and independence claiming that politics played part in the conviction and sentencing.

The lawyers allege that the prosecution’s case was characterized by inconsistencies and contradictions.

They assert that the 313 million shillings deal between NCPB and Erad, the company owned by Waluke and Wakhungu was a commercial transaction without criminal culpability, and therefore should have been pursued as a commercial dispute.

The lawyers also allege that Chief Magistrate Elizabeth Juma’s Court ignored evidence from the defense, and that there lacked sufficient evidence to prove fraud.

They also assert that documents presented before court depicted that the convicts did not receive all the money out of the 313 million shillings and were therefore not liable for the entire loss.