Waititu pleads for bail pending appeal of 12 year jail term

Former Kiambu county governor Ferdinant Waititu heads to Milimani law courts police cells after his sentecing/EZEKIEL AMING'A

Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has appealed to the High Court, requesting bail pending the determination of his appeal against a 12-year prison sentence after being convicted on corruption-related charges.

Waititu started serving his jail term on Thursday last week after a magistrates court found him guilty of conflict of interest and dealing with suspect property offences after receiving millions from Kiambu county through the Sh588 million roads tender.

He was given the option of paying a fine of Sh53.7 million or serve 12 years behind bars. But his advocate, Danstan Omari, has since filed an application at the high court seeking to be admitted to a reasonable bond term pending the determination of his appeal.

He has urged the court to allow the bond security he had deposited during trial to be applied as a continuing bond to secure his release. It was valued at Sh50m at the time.

Waititu says he is likely to suffer if he continues to remain in custody given his medical condition of violent high blood pressure, which needs constant urgent medical care.

"I believe that the instant appeal has a chance of success and that I will be prejudiced if the sentence is executed," he said.

Waititu says trial Magistrate Thomas Nzyuki failed to take into account his evidence and did not weigh it against that of the prosecution in making a just conclusion.