EXPOSED: DP Ruto to pay for Waluke’s Shs727m fine

Deputy President William Ruto has partnered with a 33-year-old tycoon and ODM aspirant Moses Nandwale to bail out Sirisia MP John Waluke from jail.

Waluke was jailed for 67 years and ordered to pay a fine of Ksh 727 million for embezzling Government’s Ksh 300 million through a maize scandal.

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Communications Director Dennis Onyango had urged Deputy President William Ruto to come to the aid of his ally John Waluke who is now starring at a jail term for allegedly defrauding the National Cereals and Produce Board.

“I expect DP Ruto to come to help Major Waluke and many others who championed his course only to find themselves in deep trouble. William has enough troubles. Focus on Raila by small brains has not helped DP for seven years. It won’t help in one year. DP needs brains around him,” Onyango tweeted.

Waluke, alongside the mother of former Cabinet Secretary Jude Wakhungu, Grace Wakhungu were on Monday, June 25 convicted of economic crimes and detained at the Kilimani Police Station awaiting their sentencing on Thursday. This is a case that has dragged over the years with Waluke on the spot over the role his company Erad Suppliers Ltd.

According to the office Director of Public Prosecution, Waluke’s case is among those DPP Noordin Hajji prioritized when he came into office in 2018 and has been brought to conclusion in under two years, a major milestone in the fight against the vice.

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.

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 Ksh 1 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.

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