A 33-year-old tycoon and ODM aspirant Moses Nandwale has offered to bail out Sirisia MP John Waluke from jail.
Waluke was jailed for 67 years and ordered to pay a fine of Sh727 million for embezzling Government’s Sh300 million through a maize scandal.
Nandwale aspires to contest against Waluke for the Sirisia Parliamentary seat in 2022 General Elections.
“I have been asked repeatedly after Waluke’s conviction to put politics aside and help him. It should be known to all that I do not condone corruption.
“My desire is to help everyone and through my Nandwale Foundation I aid everyone who needs help, including Waluke,” Nandwale stated while addressing the media.
The Political Science student famously known as Bungoma’s Dangote (a reference to Nigerian Billionaire Aliko Dangote) stated that Waluke’s wife had also approached him seeking help.
He also refuted reports that he was exploiting Waluke’s sentencing to enhance his political agenda.
Nandwale who once served as an aide to Central Organisation Trade Union Secretary General Francis Atwoli, however, declined to divulge the amount of money he would part with to secure Waluke’s release.
His sentiments have irked a number of Waluke’s supporters who accused him of tormenting the 55-year-old former Kenya Defence Forces personnel.
Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji, however, declared that he will launch an investigation into anyone who offers to pay Waluke’s and co-accused Grace Wakhungu’s Sh1 billion fine.
“If Waluke and co-accused seek to pay the fine, we will also question where that money is coming from. We can’t allow people to bring proceeds of crime to help another criminal,” Haji stated
Waluke is at risk of losing his property if he fails to pay the fine or win an appeal. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) stated that it is ready to put up his property for auction to raise the money.
The MP’s salary was also shelved by the Parliamentary Service Commission pending an appeal in court.
His lawyers appealed his sentencing and also filed a correspondence to the Speaker of the National Assembly asking him to cushion the legislator against losing his seat if he misses eight sessions in Parliament.
